Cells
by Suma99
Summary: Under the microscope, lines can be blurred. I don't own the X-Men.
1. Chapter 1

I look at the cells with a feeling of increasing worry. All perfectly regular, all with a well-defined cell wall. An easily visible vacuole, the nucleus a dark dot. I adjust the lenses and I can almost see the chloroplasts. My partner's trying to see, asking me to stop hogging the microscope. I don't want to move. Don't want her to see the iodine-stained slide. I hear her going to tell the teacher who comes over and asks me to move. So I do, swapping the slide for hers. She starts babbling about seeing it and how this is great. I just go and slip the slide in my pocket. I've a microscope at home and I need to look at the cells again.

I get back and don't even bother to get anything. Just look at the cells. I sit there for ten minutes before I reach over and get a fresh slide and a sterile swab. I run it round the inside of my mouth then smear it over the slide before dripping iodine on the slide. Glass cover on top then under the lens. And there it is again. The perfect cell walls and vacuole. My cells. I'm a plant. A living, moving plant. It's not even like that animal with chloroplasts. This is proper plant cells. I'm mutant. No other explanation other than being an alien which I'm pretty certain I'm not. I look round my room. Books, schoolbag, posters on the wall. A typical teenage bedroom. I love it here. I love my family. I have friends at school. But this area is the worst place for mutants. If they knew, I'd be lynched, my family forced out of town and my friends shunned. So I start packing. I take the bare essentials. Clothes, money and that's about it. But I end up packing my photo album. Just to show my family it's not them I'm running from. I finish and open the window. Then I stop, go over to the microscope and take the slide. A marker dates it and mentions where it comes from. So they understand. I leap from the window, landing in the tree. And suddenly feel that wind through my leaves, the nutrients in the soil. I am the tree and the tree is me. I pull my bare hands from the branch and the images stop. And my hands return to flesh from bark. I scrabble down, trying not to touch the plant. Then I run. I run and I know I'll never stop. I'm the plant girl. I'm a mutant. I'm running for my life to save my family. And I'm never going back.


	2. Chapter 2

I've been running for six months. And I'm good at it. I don't need to spend much money on food. As long as I get enough light to enough of my body, I don't starve but I still **feel **hungry. My stomach's empty and it says so. I also need nitrogen but I can get that from the earth. I don't like eating veg now. Too much like cannibalism for me. I sleep outside, a girl on the streets. I've not yet sunk so low I sell myself or take drugs. I've explored my powers. I can read plants. If I stay in contact for too long, I start to gain their looks. Which isn't great if I'm touching, say, broccoli.

I've ended up taking an eight-year-old under my wings. Ellie's small, fast and a mutant like me. I caught her trying to pick my pocket. Her power is much cooler than mine. She can- well it's difficult to explain- it's like, if she doesn't want you to see her, you don't. If she doesn't want you to hear her, you don't. If she doesn't want you to know she exists, you guessed it, you don't. If she doesn't want you to remember her, you don't. But somehow my mind works differently. I like to joke I'm mindless so I can see her. She just slips her hand in mine and says I'm the cleverest person she knows. I look out for her. She looks out for me. I work in cafes in an attempt to get money. She trails the dustbins to find stuff we can sell. I can change my appearance. Apparently it's really creepy. My body goes all viney and I rearrange myself. I can't do major changes though. Just clothes that are 100% natural like cotton and make my hair look tidy. At least it means Ellie gets more money for food and clothes. Boy, that kid's hungry. I did stop her stealing though. The woman I work for often gives me the scraps to take home. Home. Yeah right. Just a place in Central Park. A cave hidden under a patch of bushes. I love understanding plants. I can feel the changes in the weather, know when there's going to be a cold spell. In a way, I am all the plants in New York. I am the roots and the leaves. The algae on the river, the flowers in the pots. I like being a mutant.


	3. Chapter 3

I happen to be going back to the Park after a day working, with a half-way decent dinner. I flick through the DNA samples and start to change my cells to those of a legume, feeling the nitrogen in the air being absorbed through my stomata. When I get back I'll grow roots, which is a much easier way to get the nitrogen I need. I'll need some more light as well so Ellie will end up holding the torch while I go all plant on her. Apparently I look like an Ent when I do that. Don't ask me where she saw Lord of the Rings.

So I was walking home and I heard some shouts along the line of 'Mutie Scum!', 'Sub-Human', 'Demon', 'Freaks'. Just the usual. But I decide to see if I can help the person. There's a crowd of men who look like they've been drinking pounding a boy who's curled in a ball. I can see blue but that's about it. He looks in a state. I know I was going to regret this but I shout out anyway.

"If you're going to pick on muties, why not chose me?"

They turn and I see the leers on their faces. Quick flick through my different DNA's and I change, deliberately upping the number of chloroplasts so I go a slight shade of green. Hands reach for me then pull back screaming as my nettle skin stings them. How else did I survive on the street? I grab the boy's arm and pull him, remembering to turn my hand back to it's unique me cells. I run and keep running until I reach the bushes, where I pull the boy in. Ellie looks up worried.

"What's wrong Aca?"

"Get the First Aid stuff. He's been beaten by a load of FOH wannabes."

Ellie nods and goes to get the battered box. I lower the boy to the ground and get a good look at him. He's furry and blue, with pointed ears and a tail. His hands only have three fingers and he only has three toes as well. He's about my age, sixteen, but he doesn't look like a street kid. There's a wiry look about him, like he's a gymnast. He groans.

"Don't move. I'm not certain how badly you were beaten."

"Where am I?"

German by the sound of him.

"Central Park. Ellie's and Aca's Place. All the mutant street kids know us. This is the safe-house."

He looks up with solid golden eyes.

"What happened?"

"Some nuts decided they wanted to beat up a kid."

He tries to move but I stop him.

"Ellie, have you found the First Aid kit yet?"

"Not yet!"

Those yellow eyes fix on me.

"That's Ellie, so you must be Aca. What's your real name?"

"I gave it up. Round here I'm known as Acacia or Aca for short. What's yours?"

"Kurt. Kurt Wagner."


	4. Chapter 4

_A.N: I should mention this is an AU where a teenage Kurt is a part of the X-Men. Sort of Evolution age. This rises from me thinking the classic early eighties Kurt was about eighteen when he was actually 21._

I start patching Kurt up. He winces when I probe his ribs so I suspect cracked ribs at the least. I go willow on him and get Ellie to peel my bark off.

"Chew."

He looks at me oddly.

"Willow's a natural painkiller. I'm helping you here."

Ellie disappears and Kurt stares at me.

"How old are you?"

"Guess."

"Eighteen?"

"Sixteen."

"No way."

"Yeah. Living rough does that to you."

"You said this place was a safehouse…?"

"All the mutie kids know that if you're injured or need help you come here and no one will bother you and you have the chance for a decent meal."

"How come here is safe?"

"I am the security of the operation. You may have seen what I did earlier. Ellie can make it that **they** never remember where we hide."

"They?"

"FOH, mutie-haters, that sort of thing."

"Why are you living rough?"

I stop where I am.

"If you're going to survive on the streets, you must **never** ask anyone that question. Etiquette is simple. Keep off other kids patches, don't nick their sleeping spots, **never** ask about their life before the streets unless they invite you to."

Kurt nodded slightly. I finished sorting his ribs.

"You'll have to stay here for a while."

A look of panic crossed his face.

"I need to get in touch with my friends. They'll worry."

He obviously isn't a street kid.

"Ellie, get the pen and paper. Write a note, give Ellie the address and she'll take it there."

"Xavier's Institute. Graymalkin Lane, Westchester."

"Got that Ell?"

"Yeah Aca."

Kurt scribbles down a note and Ellie runs off. She'll get buses and get to the house without too much difficulty, without leaving a trace of herself on the letter. Have I mentioned she's smart?

Kurt seems slightly worried I'm sending Ellie off to fend for herself.

"Don't worry. She's the safest kid in New York. No one can see her."

I grab the food I was planning to share with Ellie and give my share to Kurt.

"I can't take your food!"

He sounds panicky.

"It's fine. Just shine that torch on me."

He gives me an odd look but does so and I up my chloroplasts so he won't have to hold it up for too long. Then my feet twist into roots and dig into the earth floor and I feel the nitrates in the ground. Kurt drops the torch in surprise.

"_Vas_?"

"Yeah, I'm a plant."


	5. Chapter 5

He just stares at me while I try to make my skin appear less green and make my roots only grow from the soles of my feet. You'd think that looking like a blue demon would make him better with mutants like me who need to look odd to survive. I can't help it. If I don't do this, I would die. You see, in the last six months, my needs have been moving closer and closer to plant needs. One day I may become a plant in full. It's getting harder and harder to turn back. The thing that worries me most is Ellie. How can I look after her?

Kurt now looks slightly ashamed about how he reacted.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

"No, I really am sorry. I should have guessed."

I shrug and go about my usual routine, and end up finishing much quicker than normal. Ellie returns and eats all the food I offer her. Kurt looks bad when he realizes I'm not eating. I ignore him and get Ellie to give me my light ration. Then I send her to bed and she curls up close to our small fire and starts pestering me for a story. So I tell her about Tam Lin and she goes to sleep. Kurt is looking at me oddly.

"I didn't notice before but you're British. What are you doing in New York?"

"My family move here when I was ten."

"But you kept your accent…"

"I went home every holiday and I like being different. I emphasised my accent when I was at school."

"School?"

"Used to love it. It was at school I found out I was mutie."

"Why do you refer to yourself as mutie?"

I shrug.

"Everyone calls us that and I feels an idiot calling myself Homo Superior."

"But you're degrading yourself."

"I'm on the street. How much more can I degrade myself by?"

He sighs. I feel a flash of pity and get one of the blankets.

"I'll wake you in the morning."

He nods and curls up. I sit down and press myself to the roots of one of the bushes. I'll wake when the sun comes up. As I fade into sleep, I hear a mumbled "_Guten Abend_". I respond.

"Yeah. Night."

I wake in the morning and have time to get enough nitrogen to last the day before doing my 'creepy vine thing' and sort my face so it looks like I'm not coming from a cave in Central Park. I wake up Ellie and tell her to stay home today, to look after Kurt. She nods and I go to work, managing to get a pretty good amount in tips, even if I had to deal with one of the creep-brigade who kept trying to get me to give him my number. I walk home quickly, stopping to give some of my cash to Strobe, one of the mutie kids who drops by occasionally. Poor guy has these lines running down his tendons that look like tattoos until you see him at night. He lights up like the 5th of November. Wait, this is the US so it would be the 4th of July. That's all he can do. That's why his parent's threw him out.

I duck under the bushes and enter the narrow gap to get into the cave and chuck the food I bought for Ellie down. I slither down the last few feet and smile.

"Hey. I've got dinner."

Ellie's beside me in an instant.

"What didya get?"

"You will not believe it…"

"You got pizza didn't you!"

"Yep."

"YAY!"

As Ellie attacks the pizza box, I hand over some painkillers to Kurt.

"Good day?"

"So so. Ellie is very…excitable."

"Yeah. Tell me about it."

We're eating and laughing when Strobe slithers down the hole.

"What's wrong Strobe?"

"There's a guy asking around about a mutant boy and someone, I swear I don't know who, told them to find Aca. There's someone tracking you Aca, you need to get out **now**. Most of us won't tell but you know Ring's desperate to get a chance to get you."

I freeze. Ring. The dog boy. He's the bully on the street. The number of times I've dealt with bites and claws from people who get on his bad side. I stand up to him but I'm one of precious few. Kurt's looking confused.

"_Vas?_"

Strobe does a double take.

"Aca, you have the boy? You've gotta get him outta here **NOW**! Something big's up and he's at the heart of it."

I'm torn. I can't move Kurt but I need to keep Ellie safe.


	6. Chapter 6

I think hard then grab Strobe.

"Take Ellie and get her out of here."

"Aca, you can't…"

"Do it Strobe. You're one of the few people I trust enough to do this. You're the leader if I disappear. And stand up to Ring. He's only bossing us because we don't stand up to him."

Strobe gapes then nods. Ellie is pouting.

"Please Ell, just do this. Take the pizza as well."

She grumbles but grabs Strobe's hand and they shimmy up the tunnel. Once they're out I begin my defence. I grab Kurt and carefully move him into a corner.

"_Vas?_"

"Stay there. I'm helping here."

Then I stand in the centre of the cave and let my roots spread out, twisting through the soil. They burst through and wall Kurt in. I ignore his protests and work into the tunnel, blocking it off completely. Then I wait. What if Strobe was wrong? Then my feelers catch the steps. Someone heavy is coming. They move lightly though. They stop and then the light in the tunnel is blocked off. Whoever it is pass my first few roots then I act. I lunge and he's trapped in a cage of wood. I'd like to see him get out of that.

Then my roots are being sliced through and it hurts so much I can't help but let them coil back inwards. The person gets down the last few metres but I can't see them through the haze. They grab me and I'm thrown across the cave. It hurts and then I feel a knife on my throat. And Kurt cries out.

"Logan! She is a friend!"

The knife is pulled away and I'm dropped, only I don't fall very far. I let the pain from my roots run it's course then I pull them back into me. Still wincing slightly I stand up and look at my attacker. He's short, has messy black hair and ice-blue eyes. There's no sign of his knife and he's glaring at me as if I'm a threat. Kurt makes a noise as if to remind me he's there. I release him and the man is over there in a second, running his hands over Kurt's chest.

"You've got a broken rib Kurt. We need to get Hank to have a look at you."

He nods slightly.

"Aca's been looking after me Logan. She rescued me."

Logan glances at me.

"You're the one I sliced up, aintcha."

I nod slightly.

"Sorry. Thought Kurt here had been kidnapped and forced to write that note, especially when there wasn't a scent on it."

I want to smile. Ellie is always careful. I gingerly move and find the pain isn't too bad. Kurt is looking at me nervously.

"Thanks for looking after me Aca, but Logan will take me home."

I make an uncommital grunt. So nice of him to talk of home in my hearing.

"You could come. We're a school for mutants."


	7. Chapter 7

Yeah, I'd heard about the school for mutants. We all have. Only the idiots went there.

"I take it you mean a prison."

"No, it's a school. All the pupils and teachers are mutants."

I shrug.

"No way am I going somewhere the FOH are bound to attack. I like having all my limbs."

Kurt sighs. He looks slightly upset I don't want to go.

"Anyway, I'm the only one who stands up to Ring and his Pack. And I can't leave Ell."

Logan speaks up next.

"Ya mean the kid? We're not just a school for teenagers you know."

I'm getting annoyed. Isn't it obvious I'm not interested?

"I'm fine and Ellie would hate school."

Kurt looks sad but nods.

"Well if you ever need help, just come to the Xavier Institute."

I nod. Not ever likely. A group of students and teachers can't understand the rules on the street. I'm more use here than I can be anywhere. Logan is glancing over Kurt.

"You got your inducer?"

"Broken."

"%$£ it."

"I have some clothes that could cover Kurt."

I do. Blast had a long coat and floppy-brimmed hat. The tears aren't too bad either. He was the first person I saw die. He got on the wrong side of Ring. I did everything I could, turned myself into medicinal plants, got a healer kid in. All in vain. The wounds went sceptic and Blast died. He was twelve. I go over and get his coat and hat. They were always too big for him. We used to tease him, say he wanted to look like Gambit from the X-Men. He'd strut around, doing his card tricks. His mutation was to blow flammable stuff up. He was responsible for half the arson attacks in New York alone. It was that incident that led to me being unofficial leader of the mutie-kids.

I find the coat and throw it over. Logan catches it and bundles Kurt up.

"Can you walk?"

"I'll need to lean on you."

"Fine."

I help him pull Kurt up the tunnel. His golden eyes fix on me.

"I'll see you soon Aca."

I nod then go back down to light the fire. Ellie won't come back tonight. Strobe will look after her. I sit down and interface my plant network. People are coming. Lots of people. The Pack. Ring is coming… Ring is coming… The stories are impressive. Killed his mum when he was eight. Some people say, and the rumour was probably started by Ring himself, that his dad's Sabretooth. I can almost believe it. He's huge for eighteen, blond and **ever so slightly** insane. And he seems to think I'd make the perfect mate for his Pack. Not a chance and I told him so. Now things are really tense between us. Fights break out all the time between Ring's Pack and my group. And he loves to threaten me. Ring is coming and I'm still woozy from pain. I can't stand up to him. Oh £%$, Ring is coming…


	8. Chapter 8

Ring is coming and I can't do anything about it. I hear the steps stop and Weasel slips down the hole.

"Aca, Ring wants to talk."

"Tell him I don't want to."

"Too late Aca, I'm already here."

His messy blond hair hangs low over his amber eyes. He sniffs and I know he's taking in the sap scent.

"You're injured."

"Not badly."

"Aca, Aca, don't lie to me. Now if you were with the Pack…"

"I have no intention of joining your precious Pack. I'm a lone agent Ring, **if you remember**."

I've hit a sore point and I know it. When I first got here I managed to severely damage Ring. Yet another reason that I have to watch my back.

"None of your precious **friends** are here now Aca. What's to stop me from taking you right here and now?"

I send out a root that presses to his throat.

"This stops you. I wonder, could your oh so perfect healing deal with your brain being skewered by roots?"

Weasel grabs my arms and twists.

"Ya talk wi a lil more respect Aca."

I twist free.

"Get your hands off me **Alphonse**."

He snarls and I feel sap splash my face where he knifed me. The cells regenerate as I change my skin to nettle leaf.

"Weasel, don't damage Aca. After all, eventually she'll see things our way."

"Yeah, when hell freezes over."

He steps closer to me.

"Aca, you have a filthy mouth, you know. I'm all hurt."

Mustering up what courage I have I spit, hitting Ring squarely in the face. What happens next is the worst five seconds in my life. I'm pulled into the air and then teeth bite down onto my shoulder. I'm thrown across the cave and Ring is standing over me.

"You're mine now Aca. I've marked you and no one else will ever touch you."

Rough fingers brush along my face.

"I could take you now but I'd much rather have you come to me. Then I'll break you slowly until you're the perfect mate. And do you know how I'll do that?"

I freeze. I know what and who Ring will target.

"I have your little Ellie Aca. Her guardian wasn't very good. He ran when he got the chance. Now Aca. You come to me in twelve hours and your precious little **pet** survives. If not, then I will hunt you down and make you watch as I kill her. Then I'll make sure you never leave me. How would you liked to be chained up for the rest of your life Aca? How would you like that?"

Then I hear him walking up the tunnel.

"You have twelve hours Aca. Twelve hours."


	9. Chapter 9

I stand at the edge of Ring's territory. One more step and I can never go back. I take a deep breath and step into the next who-knows how many years of my life. I walk fast, pointedly not looking at the people I know are trailing me. I reach the building Ring stays in. I don't bother to knock, just walk in. Ring looks up from the wrestling square and smirks.

"Aca. A pleasure to see you."

"Where's Ellie?"

"Bring out the girl."

Ellie hasn't been injured. I check that first. Then I touch her shoulder.

"Ring, I want you to let Ellie go. She can't hurt you."

"Why should I care about her? I have you. You have five minutes to say goodbye."

I bend down to look into her eyes.

"You remember where you went yesterday?"

She nodded.

"It's a school for people like us. Go there. Don't tell them what happened to me. Just say I told you to go there."

Tears slid down her face.

"I don't want you to go…"

"Ell, I don't want to go either. But I have to."

Small arms are thrown around me and she's crying on my shoulder.

"Your two minutes are up."

I look at Ellie who nods then runs. As she does I feel the familiar tickling sensation that means she is wiping herself from the minds of everyone around her. I watch her go with mixed feelings. She is the closest I've ever had to a sister and I care about her but Ring's Pack is no place for a little girl. And neither are the streets. So I'm placing my faith in a boy I only met a few days ago.

Ring rounds on me.

"So Aca, are you ready to become a part of the Pack?"

I meet his gaze, knowing he hates my leaf-green eyes because he can't read them. And I can beat him on the staring front.

"I said I'd come to you. I never said anything about joining the Pack."

I'm hitting low. By Ring's own laws, no Pack-member could have a lasting relationship with a non-member. He snarls. I've trapped him and he knows it.

"I don't like your attitude Aca."

"Odd. I hate yours."

There's a collective intake of breath and then Ring's laughing.

"Now you see why I want her as my mate. She's the only person in this whole £$%&*$ city that dares stand up to me."

There's a nervous shifting. I know it's true, on the streets at least. I'm the only person, Pack or not, who dares sass Ring. Suddenly hands catch my arms.

"I was hoping you'd agree to come quietly Aca. But since you won't join the Pack, I'll just have to make you. Put her in the Room."

Despite my struggles, despite turning myself into every poisonous plant I can think of and even just a few that smell plain foul, I'm dragged into a small, windowless room. There's a light and a small sink and that's it. I immediately understand. By denying me access to my plant network, by only allowing me to photosynthesise, then Ring is hoping to bore me into joining his Pack. Well I have my plan. When I can't stand this place anymore, which I reckon I can stand for a month at least, then I'm going to turn myself into a mixture of about eighty poisonous plants, including three I synthesised for times like this. I'd like to see Ring survive all those poisons. Sighing I turn on the tap, settle into a cross-legged position and wait. The light never turns off and the humidity is always comfortable. So I have no notion of passing time.


	10. Chapter 10

I don't know how long I've been in that room for. It could have been hours or it could have been days. I entered my plant-state, where I lose part of my human consciousness and enter a vegative state. Pardon the pun. I was sort of aware of people coming in every now and then but on the whole I was totally unaware. So when I hear raised voices, I barely react. Then the words permeate my sluggish brain.

"Where is Aca?"

Then I hear Weasel mumble something and Ring shout an insult. Then an angry voice that sounds vaguely familiar roars out.

"I know your dad, you piece of £%&$. And you ain't nothing but a cheap imitation."

Then there's a dull thump and I hear Ring cry out in pain.

"Now answer Kurt here. Where. Is. Aca."

"In the Room."

The door is wrenched of its hinges and a man made of metal is looking down at me. The sight is quite funny but I'm halfway between my plant brain and my human brain, which means I'm still sluggish. I've never gone totally plant out of fear of what will happen. It's quite possible I would lose all self-awareness. The metal-man is speaking now.

"Kurt, is Aca green, with vines for hair and roots everywhere?"

I hurriedly go back to my usual appearance. When I'm a plant, my body changes and it looks odd. The roots were a desperate attempt to get nitrogen. I can't stay legume for too long. Then soft blue fur is around me.

"Aca."

"Hey Kurt."

"I'm taking you to Ellie."

I smile. I'm still not entirely lucid.

"Good. Ellie's like my lil' sister."

Then there's a brimstone stench and I'm in a white room. It's stark and obviously medical.

"Hello Kurt. I see you brought our young friend."

Something large and blue with little round glasses is looking at me. I want to laugh at the sight of this beast with scholarly glasses on. Instead I go into extreme polite mode.

"How do you do? I'm Aca."

"Hank. Hank McCoy. Now Aca, I'm a doctor. You've been in that room for over a month so I need to do a check up."

I nod and then what Hank said sinks in.

"A month…? I've been in that room for a month?"


	11. Chapter 11

I curl up in a ball as the lights go out. Three hours of intensive tests and it ended with Dr McCoy telling me what I already knew. I was in a plant state and therefore I lost notion of time. Because the lights were on all the time and the humidity was fine, I haven't suffered any side-affects but he wants to keep me under observation for a night. Part of me wonders what on Earth I'm doing here. Another part wants to get out of here as fast as possible. Yet another part tells me I can't live on the streets, especially now I broke a promise to Ring. And I'm marked. The bite has healed but the bruise is still there, a dark promise of what could have happened.

I'm still half asleep in the morning when Dr McCoy bustles back in.

"There are some people who want to see you."

I cast around. Who could it be? And suddenly Ellie bursts in and throws herself on me, Kurt following behind her.

"Don'.'tknowwheretheytookyou."

"Slow down Ellie."

She sits back and I get a good look at her. She looks healthier than she ever did on the street and she's dressed in good clothes. Not designer or anything, just good clothes. Better than anything I could provide at any rate. So when I leave, I'll leave her here. Then I look up and see Kurt.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. After all, you rescued me by yourself. I had to get the teachers to help me."

"The **teachers**?"

"_Ja._ Mr Rasputin, Logan and Mr Summers. I just went along because I knew you."

"Wait, Logan is a **teacher**!"

"_Ja._ He teaches self-defence."

"What sort of a school is this?"

"This is the Xavier Institute, the home of the X-Men."

"The **X-MEN**! Couldn't you have perhaps mentioned that when I was looking after you?"

"I didn't know if I could…"

"Trust me? You ate the willow. I could have easily been belladonna or something equally poisonous for all you knew."

"I assumed after rescuing me, you wouldn't try to kill me!"

Dr McCoy has his hands on my shoulders.

"I think you two should leave. Acacia here is tired."

"I'm not tired. I'm hardier than most."

He frowns.

"You haven't eaten for a month."

"But I've been photosynthesising."

He looks worried. So I take to my iniative and get up, letting Ellie grab my hand.

"So where do I get food?"

"I'll take you to the canteen. Ellie has a class though."

She moans but then runs off. It appears she likes her teacher, Mrs Grey-Summers. Kurt offers me his arm and I take it, more out of a desire not to seem rude than the fact I need something to lean on. We walk through the empty corridors.

"Where is everybody?"

"All the others are in classes. I'm allowed out to show you the school and grounds and then take you to see the Professor."

"What?"

"Well you are staying aren't you?"

I freeze. Can I, should I stay?


	12. Chapter 12

Kurt pulls me into a large bright space with tables and leads me to the serving hatch. The person hands me breakfast. She then hands me a sheet to fill in of things I can't eat. I immediately tick chips/fries. I want to puke when I **touch **them. Do you know how unpleasant being boiled in oil is? And enough of the cells remain alive for me to feel that. I eat my breakfast then Kurt's dragging me along a corridor towards a large door. I don't want to enter but he knocks and then someone's calling 'Enter'. The door swings open and three people are there. A brown-haired man with red glasses, a pretty red-head and a bald man are all looking at me.

"Aca, sit down."

I shake my head.

"I prefer to stand."

He frowns but nods.

"Last month, Ellie turned up at our gates in a state of fear and told us that 'Aca told me to come here'. Kurt and Logan verified that Ellie was indeed the girl who stayed with you but were uncertain as to why you ordered her to come here. According to Kurt you were very protective of her and disliked the idea of ordering her to school. We later found out from her when she had a panic attack- don't worry, it wasn't serious- that you had handed yourself over to someone Ellie simply called 'Ring' to allow her to escape. On that note, Kurt insisted that we find and rescue you as a favour for you saving his life… and there is no doubt you saved his life. He was suffering concussion and too confused to teleport. But according to Ellie you can't go back to the streets. So I'm offering you a place in my school."

I freeze. He's right. I can't go back. But do I want to stay here? Then Kurt squeezes my hand and I decide.

"I'll stay."

I get a grin from Kurt and I smile back slightly. I quite like him. He's not as naïve as I thought he was. Then I snap back to reality.

"We'll need to see how far behind you are…"

"I'm not behind. I used to spend time in the library reading. That was before I picked up Ellie. And I was a year ahead when I left school."

He nods slightly.

"In that case I'll put you in Kurt's classes so he can show you around. And I think you can share a room with Kitty. I suppose you'll need new clothes and we have a student fund for that."

I nod. It's best I just listen then protest later.

"Here's your timetable. Kurt will show you round the school today and your lessons start tomorrow. And can I have your full name for student records?"

I stop dead.

"My birth name is forgotten. People call me Acacia or Aca. No surname, no birth certificate. It's safer that way."

"Safer?"

"Where I lived, if I was discovered to be a mutant, I'd be lynched, my family tested and then ostracised, my friends ignored. It's safer."

He frowns but then nods.

"This is Jean Grey-Summers and Scott Summers, two of the teachers at the school. They will be there to help you if you require assistance."

I nod again. There isn't much more I can do. Then the bald guy smiles.

"Kurt will take you to your room. And my name is Professor Charles Xavier. You must stop referring to me as 'the bald guy'."

Kurt laughs then blushes purple at the looks on his teachers faces then grabs my arm.

"I'll teleport us there and we can do the tour, _ja_?"

"OK."

Then I'm being crushed and we're outside a room. Kurt opens the door revealing twin beds and a desk as well as a wardrobe and chest of drawers.

"The bathroom is behind, **that** door. And now for the guided tour of the Xavier Institute."

I sigh. Kurt seems exuberant in his home environment. But his enthusiasm is catching so I decide to follow him without moaning.


	13. Chapter 13

The next day, I follow Kurt to the first class, English. My roommate Kitty comes as well. She seems cheery enough, although she asks too many questions for my liking. The English class is taught by the Mrs Grey-Summers I met the day before. Everyone apparently had to bring in a piece of special poetry as homework. I hear about eight 'Tyger-Tyger's and one 'Charge of the Light Brigade' by a cocky looking blond boy called St. John. Then Mrs Grey-Summers smiles at me.

"You don't have to worry Aca."

"Actually, I do have a poem I memorized years ago."

Her eyebrows raise but she smiles and motions me to stand up.

"In an old book

I stumbled across a saying.

It was like a stranger

punching me in the face,

it won't stop

gnawing at me.

When I walk around at night,

looking for a beautiful girl,

when a lie or a description

of life or somebody's fake

way of being with people

occurs instead of reality,

when I betray myself with

an easy explanation

as if what's dark is clear,

as if life doesn't have thousands

of locked, burning gates,

when I use words without really

having known their strict openness

and put my hands around things

that don't excite me,

when a dream hides my face with soft hands

and the day avoids me,

cut off from the world,

cut off from who I am deeply,

I freeze where I am

and see hanging in the air in front of me

STOP BEING A GHOST!"

I stop and sit back down. People are looking at me oddly but Kurt smiles.

"Stadler?"

"Yeah."

The rest of the class just sit oddly. I feel like I have to say something.

"The original is much more beautiful. But this is an English class and I can't speak German."

Kitty leans over towards me.

"That was really beautiful."

"Thanks. But I didn't write it."

"That doesn't mean it was any less special, just the way you said it made it beautiful"

"I did an essay on war-poetry a few years ago. I decided to study the German poets, just to be different."

Kurt smiles slightly.

"It never occurred to me to translate my favourite German poems."

The bell goes and I try to dig out my timetable. Biology. Why is it always Biology?


	14. Chapter 14

The teacher is the Dr McCoy who still seems slightly overprotective of me. At any rate, he insisted on checking my responses when I entered the classroom. I end up at the back of the class with Kurt and Kitty again, when a boy runs in about five minutes into the lesson and makes a hurried apology. As he runs up towards Kurt and Kitty, Dr McCoy just sighs.

"When will you learn to keep time Bobby?"

The boy just grins and shakes his long sandy hair out of his eyes.

"Sorry Sir. Mr Summers wanted to speak to me, Jubes and Pyro about the explosion yesterday."

"So that was you."

"NO! I never said that, I did not say that! He just insinuated we did!"

Dr McCoy just sighs and waves the boy to the back of the class. He drops his bag down and slumps into the seat next to me. Then frowns and looks closer at me.

"You're new?"

"Yeah."

"Bobby, Bobby Drake."

"Aca. Don't ask about a surname."

He frowns then grins.

"You're like Logan then!"

I shrug slightly.

"I don't really know."

A quiet cough causes me to flush and Bobby to flash a charming smile to Dr McCoy.

"I'm just introducing myself to Aca here."

Instantly, all eyes turn to me and I feel my skin flushing even further. To combat that, I think about upping my chloroplasts but decide against it. Kurt though is looking worried.

"You look a greenish-red."

"It's just the colour I blush."

I deliberately change my sap to one like birch so as to highlight the redness. I'd rather not have people finding out about my mutation just yet. It's specialised and therefore can be used against me. I am a complete pyrophobic. I also have a fear of axes. Just don't ask. It's to do with when I was in a forest on my way here and I felt the trees dying. I actually started throwing up.

The class settles down and we start studying cells and their properties. Which I happen to be very knowledgeable about. When you can change the type of cell you're made up of, you get to be very intimate with their inner workings. I rewrite my own DNA! Cells aren't too hard for me. The only thing is, I've tried to get rid of my cell walls, vacuoles and chloroplasts and all I end up doing is making myself feel sick. So I'm limited to plant cells and DNA. I think I must have **some** human DNA left, at least I must have because I'm conscious of who and what I am when I'm in my base form but the closer I go to plant, the slower my thought processes become. Oh, what was that question?

"I repeat, does anyone know what happens if a plant cells loses most of it's water?"

I know. The words just slip out.

"They become plasmolysed. The cell membrane peels away from the cell wall and the vacuole shrinks. On a large scale, it hurts really badly."

I freeze. I've just told the entire class about my plant background. Apparently though no one has noticed and the lesson goes on just the same. Kitty frowns at me but no one else has noticed except Kurt and he already knows. Oops. I need to be a **lot** more careful with what I say. This may not be the streets but I have a feeling I'm going to be fighting entirely different battles here.


	15. Chapter 15

I walk down the hall with Kitty, Kurt and Bobby, who disappears off when the blond boy from English and an Asian looking girl turn up. Kurt sighs.

"Bobby's off to blow something else up."

"He seemed nice."

Kitty grins.

"Bobby's maybe the most grounded of the lot. Jubilee is frankly insane, paffing people left, right and centre and she's Logan's favourite, not that it means he doesn't get pranked, it just doesn't happen as often."

I turn, just in time to see an odd look pass off Kurt's face. I'm not entirely sure, but it could have been **jealously**. Then Kitty grins.

"The library's empty. I want you to explain exactly what you meant when you said plasmolysis hurt."

I glance at Kurt who nods slightly. Then I smile shyly at Kitty.

"My mutation means my cells are plant cells."

No need to go into the whole 'I can change my DNA' thing. No need to scare her.

"So you know my 'gift'. What's yours?"

I manage to put a great deal of sarcasm into the word 'gift'. Kitty grins then walks towards a bookshelf. Instead of smashing right into it, she walks straight through. I have to laugh.

"Impressive. And so much better than mine."

Kitty smiles, trying to look modest.

"Can you do anything else? Other than be a plant at any rate."

I pretend to consider.

"I can photosynthesise… And I'm a legume."

At that, both my companions burst out laughing. I don't exactly see what's so funny. Then I turn to Kurt.

"Can you do anything other than the teleporting thing? Not that it's not cool or anything. But can you do anything else?"

Still shaking with laughter, he disappears and reappears on the ceiling.

"_Voila! _I am Spider-man!"

That sends Kitty and me into fits of laughter. Kurt starts laughing as well, only it results in him falling off the ceiling and us laughing even harder. I think I may be with friends here.


	16. Chapter 16

I'm at lunch three weeks later. Kitty and Kurt are definite friends. They show me where places are, get me to class on time and alert me as to the tricks the Terrible Threesome are planning. And they introduced me to a few others. Rogue's like me, she only has a single name. Warren has these huge wings and Laura seems to be related to Logan somehow. However, it's mainly Kitty and Kurt I sit with, even if I have to hear about Kitty's crush on the Russian art teacher. Who apparently only just graduated. And I see loads of Ellie, although Ms Munroe has banned her from coming into my room after eight. It doesn't stop her though. Apparently, even the CCTV can't pick her up. Most advanced cameras on the planet my xylem! Ellie can run rings around them all. Unfortunately, this has led to her doing stupid things, just to prove she can. Like sneaking into the staff kitchen to steal Logan and Gambit's beers. Which for anyone else would be suicide.

She's running over now, with her other friends. I manage to put my water down before she launches herself at me. I end up upping my stomata count, just to get enough air.

"ACA!"

"Hi Ellie. We only saw each other two hours ago."

"I missed you."

I swing her up a bit then stop when I realize she's getting heavier. She's changed in the time I was locked in the Room. Become more trusting, healthier. The healthy bit is good. The trusting bit? So, so. Once upon a time, Ellie would have carefully scoped out everyone in the room before even becoming **visible**, much less come running towards me drawing attention to herself. How can she have changed so much? In a way I feel guilty that I made her so grown up. And I'm also slightly jealous of her friends. Where did that come from? I should be happy that Ellie's enjoying her childhood while she still can. Then I hear something that makes me turn.


	17. Chapter 17

Two mutant boys whose powers are to do with strength are squaring up to a slightly mousy looking boy. I've seen that look far to many times, when Ring's enforcers get a little overzealous in their pursuit of payment. Don't ask me about what happens next. My only excuse is I was plain mad. I stand up and walk over to the boys. The two pea-brained individuals (insult to peas) give me a look I've seen far too many times on the faces of men who think that because I'm on the street, because I'm a girl who dares walk past a bar after nine, that I'm on sale. Pretty soon afterwards, they learn I'm not. Normally when the branch threatens to skewer their brain.

"Excuse me, but is there any reason you're planning on attacking someone unprovoked?"

They both look slightly blank. The other boy looks up with the eyes of someone who has seen the light at the end of the tunnel and isn't quite sure if it's a train rushing towards him.

"Would you like me to repeat that so your monocellular brains can compute it? What's he done to you?"

The boys look at each other and I become aware of the whispers.

"New girl…"

"Aca…"

"Sabretooth's son…"

"What's her mutation…?"

"It's not so much what's he's done than that he's there. Of course, if you'd come with us, we'll leave him alone…"

"Not a chance. I've been threatened by people with a much bigger police record than you. Actually, I may still be engaged to a murdering gang-leader who I really think might be Sabretooth's son. Forced engagement I might add."

Two mouths simultaneously drop open.

"I almost killed him when I first met him. It wasn't too hard. He didn't like having a stick rammed through his eye into his brain…"

Then I duck as a fist slams towards me. I'm back in my element, brawling against the Pack to keep an eye out on one of my friends.

"I've dodged faster snails."

I lean backwards as another punch misses. Then instinctively I send out a series of vines to tie them up, not caring that people can see me, not caring that this isn't the street anymore. Then I turn nettle and hear them scream as the hairs inject their poison into them. I could do so much more, break their bones, make them go catonic. Anything a plant can do, I can do. And plants can do so, **so **much.

Then Kurt is pulling me back and people are screaming and suddenly Logan's there and he's looking at me with such cold, cold eyes I know, I just **know**, I've overstepped a mark and I'm going back onto the street, only this time, Ring won't be so forgiving and no one will help me. Then I realize he isn't looking at me. He's looking at the boys I just fought with, glaring at then with a face like thunder.

"It's just nettle bub. The Professor wants to see ya in his office **now**. And Aca, he wants to see you afterwards. And I want ya to report to the Danger Room tonight after lessons. You're starting combat training after that little demonstration. I knew there was more to you than ya were letting on."

I walk back to my table with Kurt, doing my best to ignore the fearful looks. My mutation isn't secret anymore. Then Kitty looks at me enviously.

"It took me **three years** to get onto the combat training. And you're on it in three weeks."

I blush, not even bothering to change my sap type.

"And what was with the whole 'Your powers are way cooler than mine.' In case you hadn't noticed, you just flattened two bruisers."

Kurt laughs happily.

"I was waiting for you to do that! Did you know, she almost beat Logan up!"

"No. Freaking. Way."

"She did. Sent him reeling!"

Kitty glowers at me.

"You. Are. Telling. Me. Everything. Tonight."

"Okay. Just don't bite my head off."

"And that includes your 'engagement'."

"Oh. I'd rather not talk about that."


	18. Chapter 18

I stand with the others in the combat class when Logan comes in. I don't like this room. There's nothing natural here, nothing I can interface with. All is metal and plastic. I shift in the suit I've been given. I'm used to fighting in jeans and clothes like that. Not an all-in-one jumpsuit.

"Right, I want you to get ready. Each of you will have to try and beat me. Elf, you're up first."

Kurt looks slightly queasy then flips over and teleports, punching Logan in the face. What happens next is amazing, with Kurt teleporting away and trying to avoid Logan's punches. Eventually he mistimes and is sent flying. Logan smirks.

"Next. Rogue, it's your turn."

Each student goes the same way, a few managing to land a couple of punches before Logan beats them. However, I've done my research. Logan heals, faster and stronger than Ring. Therefore an overdose of digitalis should just shock him into submitting. Then Logan turns to me.

"Aca. You've had martial arts training haven't you?"

I nod because I was a green belt in taekwondo before street fights gave me an opportunity to improvise.

"Discipline and brawling, good mix. You've had a crack at Sabretooth's son, so show me what you can do."

I drop into a low guard stance. All the others leapt in on the attack. I'm going to wait for him to come to me. Never initiate a fight with someone whose mutation can give them little boosts. Logan launches at me and I send out the branches, tangling around him, vines wrapping around his wrists and ankles. While he's busy fighting them off I send in the real danger, a small thorn with a mixture of various poisons. With Ring, it sent him reeling. The thorn digs into the chest and it's mixture is released. Logan staggers and I press my advantage further, binding him up in roots until he snarls and suddenly I'm being ripped into and my roots are torn. Just because I'm a plant, doesn't mean I don't have nerve endings. It hurts and I scream and withdraw my roots, releasing Logan and crouch down, allowing the pain to run it's course. Then hands pull me up and Logan is grinning.

"You're **good**."


	19. Chapter 19

Kitty grins and leans back on her bed. Kurt is hanging from the lampshade. I sit cross-legged on my bed, checking the re-entry points for my roots that were injured to make sure the injuries weren't passed onto my base form.

"So Aca, what are you? And are you really engaged to Sabretooth's son?"

I sigh and change my position so I'm sitting more comfortably.

"It's a long story…"

"We have until nine, when Kurt has to leave and until ten for lights out. And you can continue telling me after that."

I nod. Kitty is irrepressible when she gets an idea in her head.

"I was 15 and 7 months when I found out I was a mutant. It was in a Biology lesson and we were doing a study of the human cell. My sample was a perfect plant sample. I double and triple-checked but there was no other explanation. My town has or had a bad reputation for mutant-hunting so I decided to run away. In my escape I discovered I could 'read' plants-"

"What?"

"I won't continue if you interrupt Kitty."

"Sorry Aca."

"It's fine. Like I said, I discovered that plants were like books to me. I could touch them and I felt like I was the plant. I trekked to New York. On the way there, I found out that if I touch a plant for long enough, I take on its features whilst I'm still holding it. I arrived in New York a month later and on my last eight dollars. I was wandering the streets when a blond boy hustled me into an alley and told me I had 'the Scent'. At the time I didn't understand but the Scent is a feral thing. It's to do with the perfect genetic mate for a feral. Apparently, Ring's cubs would have the greatest chance of survival if I were the mother. In the alley though, all I thought was this boy was going to rape me. Somehow, I found my DNA was changing, giving me nettle skin to begin with. I managed to give myself extra branches and spiked his brain."

Kitty laughs nervously.

"I ended up in Central Park. Whilst there, I followed the nutrient trails in the ground to find a cave. I set it up as my shelter. Whilst there, I learnt about the Pack, a gang run by Ring, the boy who had attacked me. I ended up being the rallying point for the other mutie kids-"

"Don't call us mutie!"

"Look, it's street talk. I can't help it. Well, word got round a plant girl had defied Ring and people started coming to me. I created a group of contacts, set up warning systems. After I almost kill Ring's right-hand, we made a pact. A certain area of the city was the Pack's land. Me and my group stuck to another. Oh, there were scuffles, there always were. Then one day a girl tried to pick my pocket. I caught her arm and she frowned. There was an odd feeling in my head, as if someone was sloshing ice around. When I didn't let go she was scared and I realized she was a mutie- mutant, like me. I ended up taking Ellie under my wing. She needed someone to get her back on the straight and narrow and she was worth her weight in gold. I stayed on the streets for five months in total before I found Kurt. Ring kidnapped Ellie and blackmailed me into coming to him. He ordered me to join the Pack as he had this ridiculous rule that long-term relationships can only be Pack member to Pack member. I refused, he locked me in the Room and the rest is history."

Kitty is just staring at me open-mouthed. Kurt just sighs and checks his watch.

"I have to go, I have an Ethics essay for Ms Frost due tomorrow and we all know what Ms Frost is like."


	20. Chapter 20

I collapse onto my bed, exhausted. After a horrible day involving a fight at lunch, being yelled at by Mr Summers for refusing to apologise to someone who tried to stick my head down a toilet (I didn't know people **did** that!) and then having a two hour training session with Logan, who seems to enjoy beating me up before doing three hours of homework. I'd forgotten how hard it was to keep up with school. Kitty is still trawling slowly through her Physics homework. We're actually pretty well matched, with me being good at the Sciences and Maths and Kitty being a whiz at Computing and English. Together, we can scrape A's more often than not.

I'm rubbish at American History though. Blame learning about the Scottish Wars of Independence whilst people here were learning about the American one. Little bit of patriotic pride here. Hah, we had a Declaration of Independence in **1320**! And we smashed the English at Bannockburn. Sorry, just me missing home. I quoted a bit in History, just to annoy the teacher. '_As long as but one hundred of us remain alive, we shall __**never**__ under any conditions, submit to English rule. For it is not for glory, or riches, or honours that we fight, but for freedom alone, which no good man gives up but with his life._' I then pointed out that James I was **actually **James VII (we Scots have a thing for King James's, especially James's crowned when under a year old) and was Scottish. Therefore, Scotland rules England. At this point, Betsy denied it vehemently and we ended up throwing the usual insults. You know 'ignorant Jock', 'pompous English', that sort of thing. We weren't able to continue as we both burst out laughing. I then told her not to worry, I was actually half-English, but when born and raised in Scotland, you feel more Scottish than English. We then proceeded to giggle as the teacher continued to talk about the Founding Fathers. Not surprisingly, we both got detention for 'disrespecting America'. It feels good to be a schoolkid again, even if all I do is make stupid comments with Betsy, Kurt and Kitty.

"What's Newton's third law again?"

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."

She nods and scribbles it down.

"ΔV equals what?"

"a over t."

"What's 'a' again?"

"Acceleration."

"I hate formulae."

"Back home, the Advanced Higher Physics had over three pages of equations."

"Advanced Higher?"

"I've tried to explain the Scottish school system to you before and you just go 'huh?' Even Bets doesn't get it."

"I still don't understand why you have a different school system."

"When the Scots gained semi-independence, we got control over certain things like education and justice."

Kitty purses her lips and I know what she's thinking.

"I would like to point out that Westminster was pressuring MacAskill."

"Says a Scot."

"So what? Bets agrees."

"You act so **superior**."

"Look Kitty, if anyone in this school has the right to be angry about that, it's me. It was my hometown after all!"

Then I realise that I've fallen into a trap. Kitty's eyes sparkle and I know I've given her a piece of vital information. Soon she'll be hacking the immigration records. I moan and she punches the air.

"Score One to the Pryde!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>__I felt I had to make Aca from my home region. And before you ask, no I'm not from the same town as her, although I help with the Cub Scouts there._


	21. Chapter 21

I stand completely still, waiting for my pursuer to find me. I reach out and grab the plant next to me and let the information rush into my cells. I feel my body changing, until another innocuous looking pot-plant sits next to the other. The banana plant is as big as me and all I have to do is dig my roots into the soil next to it and I'm hidden.

I carefully move and then the pot looks rather full but there is only one plant. Now to see if my pursuer is any good at noticing plants. He steps around the corner, looking carefully to either side. He walks right past me to the other plant in the hall.

"Found you."

If I had a mouth, I would smile. His back is to mine. So all I have to do is let out roots and tangle then around him. He turns when the first root brushes him but by then it's too late. He's tangled up, unable to move. I stop looking like a banana plant and walk over to him.

"I win."

"Oh yeah?"

Then I hear the steps coming behind me and I panic. I go banana again and sit in the pot, tugging him in with me. He's sandwiched between me and the other plant, unable to talk and hidden. The rest of his group round the corner.

"He came this way."

"Idiot. Aca wouldn't be stupid enough to hide here."

I smirk. I'm not entirely plant yet but my leaves cover my face. As they split up I smile. Idiots. I can pick them off one at a time. Each one isn't prepared, ends up gagged under the leaves. Then there's only one left. I consider then grin. I leave the pot, and my captives tied with hemp. Giving them a jaunty wave I walk down a corridor, listening intently and searching for the higher concentration of carbon dioxide a human gives off. There.

I consider and then give myself a hardwood skin, oak, to protect myself. Tip-toe to the corner. Then leap out and send the fresh hemp net towards my opponent. He can barely turn when he's tangled up and I land on top of him.

"No teleporting."

And Kurt grins at me.

"You win."

"It's your turn to hide now."

"I can't believe Ellie coerced us into playing hide and seek."

"You have to admit, Logan can't complain about us not getting training with him away in Canada."

He laughs and I grin. Kitty and I are friends, close friends but not best friends. We have disagreements over certain things and Kitty gets on best with Rogue. Kurt's my best friend. I tell him a lot, but not everything. Everything from before I ran away happened to a different person. I'll talk about the streets. But not about home. Home. Is the school home? It feels like it. Me and a few others with no homes are staying over the Christmas holidays. Me, Kurt, Ellie, Rogue, Laura and about eight people whose names I don't know. Kitty is also staying but I think it's more out of loyalty to us misfits than a wish not to see her family. What the teachers don't know is we're planning a Christmas party. In my room. OK, in Kitty's half of our shared room. I have a terrible feeling that we're going to get in serious trouble.


	22. Chapter 22

Kitty grins evilly at Kurt. I'm still not entirely sure **why** she decided to play Truth or Dare or how she roped me into it. So me, Kurt, Bobby and Jubilee, who either don't have a family or have been disowned, St. John and Betsy, who live on the other side of the world and Kitty who stayed to make us all feel better are having a secret party. Laura is around here somewhere but she refused to come. Frankly I don't blame her. After Bobby attempting to do karaoke and Jubilee trying to create fairy lights and setting fire to my bed, all I want to do is scream. So Kitty suggested Truth or Dare to stop me from strangling her. And Kurt had just picked Dare. The idiot. Kitty has **that** look on her face.

"I want you to kiss the person on your right."

I look to my left. And sure enough, Kurt is staring at me wide-eyed. I can just see the thought flitting through his brain.

"_Hilfe!_"

Betsy is smirking and Bobby has his phone out, all set to take a picture. Kurt goes purple, his usual blushing colour.

"Er…Aca, I am sorry."

Then he leans over and pecks my cheek and I hear Bobby take the picture. I've had enough of him for a lifetime so I launch across the circle and start wrestling the phone off him.

"HEY! Geroff!"

Jubilee paffs me to try and get me off so Kurt ports her away. Soon enough it becomes a free-for-all. Pyro then gets out of control and sets my wardrobe alight, at which point I punch him. Hard. The way I learnt on the street. He goes down and then I realise that Bobby has been sat on so there's no one to put the fire out. I pull Kitty off Bobby and point him at the wardrobe. As he's putting the fire out, I delete the photo. We're all sitting back down laughing, except John, who's still out cold, enjoying the adrenalin rush. When a quiet voice shocks us back to reality.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

We turn and gulp in unison. Miss Munroe is standing in the doorway. And she does **not** look happy.


	23. Chapter 23

"Reckless, infantile, dangerous and potentially life-threatening!"

I shudder. I stood Miss Munroe's 'What were you thinking of?' talk, survived Mr Summers 'You should have known better' talk, squirmed uncomfortably with Mrs Grey-Summers 'You could have all been seriously hurt' talk. And now I'm terrified. The Professor is giving the talk. He's the one with the power to throw me out. Back onto the streets. Back to Ring.

"And as punishment, you will each have duties to do in addition to your studies. Miss Pryde and Miss Braddock, you are to help the kitchen staff with the washing up for a month. Miss Lee and Mr Drake, you will be cleaning the toilet blocks. Mr Allendyce, when you wake up, you will be sorting the laundry. And Mr Wagner and Miss Aca will be helping with the six to ten year olds."

Wait a second! I thought he was **punishing** us! Putting me in a room of kids and telling me 'Keep them occupied' is actually one of my ways to **relax**. Crazy as it sounds. I like telling them stories. Making up stupid games to play. And with Kurt? Like I said, I thought they were punishing us. Actually, putting me in a room full of little kids plus Kurt will probably destroy our friendship. I'll end up treating him like one of them. He looks at me, confused and with an emotion I can't quite place. He looks so **cute** when he's confused. Stop it! Stop it! Don't start daydreaming about your best friend! He's… He's KURT for heaven's sake! My best friend! Who just kissed me. AFTER saying '_Hilfe_' which I'm pretty sure means 'HELP'. And it wasn't a real kiss. Just a brush on the cheek. Oh no. I'm in denial! I, Aca, real name forgotten, am in denial about my **best friend**! Somebody just kill me now. Get the weedkiller Kitty, this plant is going to the Great Garden in the Sky. I can't have a crush on Kurt. I just **can't**. It would be too humiliating. Story of my life in other words.


	24. Chapter 24

"Aca, you've been avoiding me. Why?"

Damn. I can't move as I have about three kids using me as a climbing frame, and two discovering why Tarzan had such a squashed face. I knew the vines were a bad idea. They keep swinging into walls.

"I'm not avoiding you. I'm just busy."

Kurt looks hurt.

"You won't even come to look after the _kinder_ at the same time as me."

I swear my brain shuts down when I'm more than fifty percent plant.

"Kinder? You mean like the little chocolate eggs with the toy inside that more often than not was just a piece of clutter and you never got the one you wanted."

He blinks and I realize I'm babbling.

"I used to love them when I was about six. I sound like an idiot don't I?"

He nods. I go my usual green blush colour.

"I just wanted to say Kitty is dead. I am going to kill her for embarrassing us over Christmas."

Oh. That means Kurt just sees me as a friend. Thank goodness. So why am I disappointed? Stop! Hormones, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm a plant. I'm not **supposed** to have crushes. Try telling that to my brain. I'm saved by an argument about the cookie jar and I go charging over to stop the fight before someone gets injured. And then I think of another distraction technique.

"Game time!"

They all start screaming as I send out a vine across the centre of the room and put soft toys in two opposite corners. Mr Summers should be proud of me. Teaching little children Capture the Flag. OK, Capture Mr Pooky-Bear and Barbie Princess. But near enough so there isn't any **real** difference. And when we've played that we go on to story telling mode with the brown-haired Barbie becoming a knight and monster-killer. And she doesn't quite get there in time to save the Princess Barbie. Did I mention that kids that age are **bloodthirsty**. And then amused them with tales of what I did to my Barbies when I was six (involving downy feathers and peanut-butter). That lead onto a talk about extrajudical punishment and whether tarring-and-feathering should be allowed. All delaying tactics. When we'd finished our allocated hour, Kurt came up to me.

"Are you mad at me? I promise I didn't want to kiss you."

Great. Blow to my confidence as well. I'm so unattractive the only boy who'll have me is a psychopath. He obviously knows he's said something wrong. Am I really that obvious?

"I just mean I probably would kiss you if you were anyone **but** you. You're pretty. It's just…you're my best friend. And you'd probably punch me."

"Too right I would."

WHY, OH WHY DID I JUST SAY THAT! I actually **wouldn't **have punched him. Oh, emotions, stop being so confusing!

"So, friends?"

I can pretend I suppose.

"Yeah. Friends. Just friends."

I may have just been imagining it, but I thought I saw a flash of disappointment in his eyes. Wishful thinking Aca! Quit drooling over your best friend and get on with life. I still have three weeks of babysitting then I'll be able to catch up on coursework. Thank goodness!


	25. Chapter 25

"Kurt and Aca, sitting in a tree-"

"Shut up Kitty. I am **not** in love with Kurt."

"He kissed you."

"You dared him to."

"He still kissed you."

"He did say 'Help' before."

"Oh. Was that what it meant?"

"Yes."

"Well I still think you're in love with him."

"I'd rather have a crush on Kurt, and I don't have a crush Kitty before you ask, than on Iceboy."

"I **do not** have a crush on **Bobby**!"

"Do to."

"Do not."

And as we take up our pointless bickering I allow my mind to wander. Kitty seems to think me and Kurt should be a couple. Her exact remark was 'I want to see the little demon plants'. I put thistles in her bed that night. She tried to set fire to one of my roots in Chemistry. Everything's back to normal in other words. We fight, make up, laugh our heads off at silly little things. Oh, and make allusions about the other's love-life. My non-existent love-life.

"Anyway, I like Mr Rasputin."

Brilliant, we're back on Mr Rasputin. He's twenty, teaches art and turns into metal. And Kitty has a **major** crush on him. What makes it even worse is that I mentioned that she only has two more years until she graduates. And then, in a fit of stupidity, I said it was my seventeenth birthday in February. So now Kitty's going to throw a party, **after** having it cleared with the Professor. Why can't I keep my big mouth shut?


	26. Chapter 26

I sit with the younger kids watching Disney movies. We've decided to go through them all in order from Snow White to the newest Tangled. We've reached Hercules already. At the back, me, Kurt and Kitty who decided to join us are having an argument about the best 'official' Disney Princess.

"I thought Pocahontas wasn't one."

"No Kurt, Pocahontas is. Aca, back me up here."

"I like Mulan. But Pocahontas is one."

"I don't know who's best."

"Snow White's soppy though."

"ACA!"

"It's true. She breaks into a stranger's house and starts **cleaning**! And don't get me started on Sleeping Beauty."

"So if you couldn't have Mulan, who would you pick?"

"Either Belle or Pocahontas."

"I like Belle. Her or Mulan."

"Shhh."

"Is it just me or does Kitty look like Belle and Aca a bit like Mulan."

"Bobby! What are you **doing** here?"

"Listening to your immature argument. Anyway, Nala kicks butt."

"Nala isn't a Disney Princess."

"If we can have Nala, I want her, Mulan and Kiara as my three favourite."

"Shouldn't we be supervising the kids?"

"They'll be fine. But I don't think it's a good representation of humanity. Six are white, one is black, one is Chinese, one is Native American and one is…Arabic? Five have black hair, three are blond, one has red hair and one has brown hair. And don't get me **started** on the eyes. And aren't they all voiced by Americans? Couldn't they have at least given Belle a French accent?"

"Not to mention one is a mermaid."

We start laughing and get shushed by various eight-year-old girls.

"Wait a second. Bobby, are you saying I'd wear that stupid blue costume?"

"No Aca. I'm…er…"

"Bobby, quit digging your own grave."

"I'm just saying, you have the whole black hair and brown eyes and…"

I glower then grin and start changing the pigment in my eyes until they are a brilliant green instead. Bobby chuckles nervously and then we all burst out laughing, at which point the kids start forcing us out of the room.

"And Bobby, I am actually quite happy with that comparison. And by the way, what is with the treatment of British accents. Just look at Lion King…"

And so we start a completely new argument.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>__Little bit of randomness for this chapter. I couldn't resist. This came from me watching all the old Disney movies again and thinking about how soppy most the female leads were. And a discussion I had a few years ago about favourite Disney Princesses. This gave me an opportunity to describe Aca. This will lead into more about her past._

_In other news, I'm putting up a poll on my profile about my other story Memories which will affect Cells._


	27. Chapter 27

Kitty drags me into **yet another** store.

"Come **on** Aca. We have to get you something to wear for your party."

"Kitty…"

I stop. Sitting by the door is a boy, head hung low, with what looks like highlighter drawn up his arms.

"Strobe?"

The boy retreats further into his hood. I tilt his head back and gaze into his eyes. And leap away. Empty, blooded sockets stare back up at me.

"Aca…?"

"What did he do to you Strobe?"

"Aca?"

"Kitty, go off and enjoy yourself. I'm heading back."

"But…"

"Kitty. Do it. Strobe, what did he do to you?"

"I wouldn't hand Ellie over. Stood up to him, just like you said. He gouged out my eyes Aca! **My eyes**!"

I touch the torn skin and he leaps away.

"Ring got everyone Aca. We either joined the Morlocks or the Pack got us. We're all gone. Without you Aca, we're nothing."

I press the speed-dial on my phone and wait the three rings before Miss Munroe picks up.

"Aca?"

"Can you send a car? And Dr McCoy?"

"Aca…?"

"I've got an injured friend Miss Munroe. An old street friend."

She asks where I am then rings off. I catch Strobe's aimless hands.

"It's going to be alright Strobe. I promise."

He smiles slightly.

"And Aca's word is still the cleanest thing on the streets, right?"

"You bet Strobe. You bet."

I lean my forehead on his.

"It's going to be alright Strobe. I've found a safehouse. You'll be alright."

"Aca, my name isn't Strobe. It's Sam."

I stop. Sam. A name, a real name. I hesitate. And then whisper my real name in his ear, so quietly, not even Logan could catch what I said. He smiles at me slightly.

"It's a beautiful name."

And by the time Dr McCoy and Miss Munroe have arrived, he's sleeping quietly as I cradle his head on my lap. Dr McCoy's 'normal' person, a red-haired, bespectacled man, picks him up and glances at his eyes.

"I can't fix this Aca. No one can."

"I know. Just…help him survive. I don't want my friend to die."

"I understand Aca. But he's malnourished and has a fever. He probably won't make the night."

I catch his hand in mine.

"Don't give up. Sam."


	28. Chapter 28

"He'll survive Aca. But he has several severe lung infections and he's severely malnourished. If you hadn't called us, he would have probably died on the next cold night."

Strobe is lying on the bed beside me, sleeping peacefully. The sedative Dr McCoy gave him may have something to do with that. He also has an IV feed. I glance over at him. Dr McCoy smiles.

"I'll let you stay here overnight. For **one** night only."

I leap over and hug him. He seems genuinely surprised, although he hugs me back. Think of a sheepskin rug, all soft and fluffy, then give it a smell of lemon and surgical scrubs and that's Dr McCoy. His blue fur actually makes quite a good hankie, as I burst into tears and blow my nose on his chest. He takes it quite good-naturedly.

"I know it's been hard for you Aca."

"That could have been me…"

And the scary thing is, it could have been. If Ring didn't like my 'spunk' then he'd gouge my eyes out without a second thought. And if he didn't have that ridiculous Pack code, then I'd be stuck with him, chained to him most likely. Dr McCoy extracts himself and sits me down in a chair before going off and coming back with a box of tissues and one of Rogue's monster hot chocolates with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes, honeycomb and topped with melted dark chocolate. They take about twenty minutes to make and an hour to **eat** so she doesn't make them often. I sniffle a bit and he nervously pats me on the shoulder before hurrying out. I've probably traumatised him. I reach out and catch Strobe's hand. He looks pale and thin, so the neon green, orange and yellow stripes stand out even more. The lights flick out and he starts to glow, the lines travelling from his fingers, up his arms, along his back and up his neck to his eyes. I lean over towards him. Dr McCoy thought he was sixteen. I lied about his age. Oh, Strobe…Sam…**told** everyone he was sixteen. He's actually fourteen. I worked it out of him when he first turned up at my place. In the end, every mutant on the streets who isn't as badly 'disfigured' as the Morlocks or hasn't the temperament for The Pack ended up with me. I had **thirty** of my group to look out for, to be prepared to share food with and to administer first aid and rudimentary justice to. I grip his hand even tighter.

"You'd **better** pull through Sam. You'd better."

His eyes fly open and his oddly glowing eyes fix on mine.

"R…"

"It's Aca. That name's gone."

"Aca…thank you…"

"Sleep. You need to sleep."

He nods and his eyes close. I don't let go of his hand but I allow myself to sleep. He's safe. Strobe is safe. I'm safe. No one can hurt us here. Famous last words.


	29. Chapter 29

Kitty wakes me up at about six in the morning by turning the lights on and playing Happy Birthday very loudly. I groan and pull my quilt over my head.

"Shove off."

"Come on Aca! You're seventeen!"

"I was born in the evening. Go away."

"No. Come on. Wake up."

"Go boil your head."

"I know you don't mean that."

"Stick your head down the toilet."

Kitty seems unimpressed and tugs my quilt off, despite my protests.

"It's six Kitty. I can't photosynthesise."

"Hah. Plants can't tell the difference between sunlight and artificial light. So get out of bed **right now**. I want to give you your presents."

Groaning, I sit up and find a beautifully wrapped present, with flowers dancing all over it shoved under my nose.

"Thanks Kitty. I'll open it when I'm awake."

"If you don't open that present right now, I'll open the door and let everyone else in."

I panic. I'm wearing a baggy Tom and Jerry T-shirt as my last set of pyjamas were wrecked when I ended up going bramble during a nightmare involving an incident when I was six. It was the first time I encountered racism. To the boys, it didn't matter that Mum's family had lived in Glasgow for the last fifty plus years. All that mattered was I looked Chinese, despite my protests that Dad came from Cumbria. I don't think my Mushu plushie helped me at all. But I had a nightmare about that for some strange reason and my pyjamas were wrecked.

I carefully peel back the sticky tape and unwrap the present. Kitty is bouncing impatiently on her bed. Finally, I peel off the last layer and smile. It's the photo of me, her, Bets, Rogue, Kurt, Bobby, St John and Jubes, taken on one of our outings, framed in twining vines and with the word 'Friends' spelled out.

"Thanks Kitty."

She smiles then points to our shared bathroom.

"Get ready. Everyone else is coming at seven."

Sighing, I allow her to hustle me into the bathroom. Kitty is excitable and very like an old friend of mine from Britain. I haven't rung her since I ran away. It's been over a year since I last saw a member of my family. I wonder how they are?

When I exit, Sam is already sitting there. It's been a week and while he's still painfully thin, Dr McCoy's allowed him out of the Infirmary on the grounds he's getting better.

The dog has helped as well. Sam will never get his sight back, so Mrs Grey-Summers did her mental trick and got him a guide-dog. Guide-puppy would be a better name for it! He's a chocolate Lab and when off lead behaves just like a puppy. I can't blame him. He's only a year old and the other students all love him. He's almost the school mascot already. When he sees me, Cocoa (yes, very unimaginative name. His trainers thought he was a girl) leaps up and starts barking.

"Down boy."

He flops down at Sam's feet. It's hard to think of him as Sam, not Strobe.

"Happy Birthday Aca."

"Yeah. Thanks Sam."

"Thank you for bringing me here Aca."

I lean over and give him a hug. The poor guy deserves it. He pulls out something small.

"Dr McCoy helped me wrap it. I thought you'd like it."

"Sam, you shouldn't have…"

"Yeah. Well, it's yours anyway."

Frowning, I open the present to find a photo album, stained with rain and water. My photo album. Taken with me when I ran. I left it back in my cave and I never went back there. I assumed Ring would have wrecked the place. Sam appears shocked when I throw my arms around him.

"Thanks you so, **so** much!"

"I never looked. Neither did Dr McCoy. Or anyone else. He was responsible for the padlock though."

And sure enough, a padlock has been attached, with the key on a chain. I fit the chain over my neck and smile at Sam, even if he can't see. Then I bring his hand up to my face so he can feel the single trickle of tears. He grins at me.

"Right present then?"

"The best."

Kitty sighs impatiently.

"We have to go. The others are waiting."

I nod, but carefully put the photo album in my clothes drawer and wrap it up. Later, I'll go through it again.


	30. Chapter 30

The others crowd around me. Rogue got me a new top and Bets got me matching jeans. Bobby bought me a pack of art equipment after seeing my sketch of Kitty. St John decided to be smart and got me a lighter. I throw it at his head and he brings out his real present, a pair of fireproof gloves. Idiot, but that's why we like him. Jubilee decided that I must miss home and in a piece of complete stupidity got me an England bag. That sets Betsy off in fits of laughter at the look on my face and apparently Bobby recorded my 'I'm SCOTTISH, you hear! **SCOTTISH**!' rant. I then hug Jubes just to show there's no hard feelings. Bets frowns.

"You sounded almost Glaswegian there Aca."

I blush. It's true. When I'm annoyed, my accent, normally Scottish Borders with a twang of Lancashire goes to thick Glasgow. The more annoyed I am, the stronger it gets. Blame Gran and Granddad.

"Mum's side."

Even Warren, who I'm not very close to, got me an X keyring which I know the teachers hand out free to all students who go on an X-Men training course. Ellie bounces in about ten seconds later and stuffs a box of chocolates into my hands. I think she got Miss Munroe to help her choose them, as they aren't the most expensive chocolates from an expensive store. Have I mentioned separation from me and exposure to Mr Le Beau has meant she's got remarkably light-fingered? I hug her and then look around for Kurt. He's not there. I make an excuse and walk out of the room. Kurt is waiting outside. He smiles shyly.

"Happy Birthday Aca."

"Thanks Kurt."

Then his face splits into a mischievous grin.

"My present is outside."

I raise my eyebrows but allow him to lead me into the sunlight. He pulls me quite a way from the school until he comes to Milly. It's a source of great hilarity that I named all the trees in the grounds. Milly's my favourite though. She just has this serene vibe, as crazy as it sounds. I touch her and everything's all right. And spread out on a chequered cloth under her is a picnic breakfast. Kurt grins.

"Surprise! I know you like eating outside."

"Kurt, it's **February**!"

"Even better."

Again I think how cute he looks like that, with his laughing eyes and sparkly eyes. Hark to me. I sound like a teenage girl with a crush.

Maybe because I am a teenage girl with a crush. Kurt grins again, even more widely if that's possible.

"Breakfast Aca?"

I laugh and let him sit me down. I wish he'd show even the slightest attraction to me. But then he might be waiting for me to do the same. Arrgh! Plants are **so** much easier to read.

We end up messing around, feeding each other and taking it in turns to throw food into each other's mouths. The best bit is when Kurt teleports to catch some toast. Then he's close to me and his laughing golden eyes are looking at me, only they aren't laughing but so nervous and he's slowly leaning in towards me. And all I can think is 'Help. Please let this be real. Please let this be a dream. Help. My best friend is about to kiss me.'

Then I hear the Professor in my head screaming for all students to get to the shelters **immediately**. Kurt jumps up and we start to run back to the school. We're about halfway there when the men in FOH uniforms come running towards us. Instinctively I send out roots to knock them down. And I hear the shout.

"Get the girl! She's the dangerous one!"

I see the gun levelled towards me, see Kurt starting to run towards the FOH grunts. And a shot echoes out.


	31. Chapter 31

I feel the bullet pierce my chest and scream out a name.

"KURT!"

Then I do the only thing I **can** do and place my roots deep into the soil. I stretch up, my branches sprouting from my arms. I feel my body changing, the remainder of my human DNA being purged from my system. The last of my branches burst into existence and Aca is lost forever.

There is only the sun and rain and changing seasons and Aca is just a dim memory. I feel my leaves open, photosynthesise. I draw in the water and minerals from the earth. I grow. I let the sugars flow like blood through my phloem vessels and feel the salts through my xylem. At times, something is pressed up in my branches but it doesn't damage me.

I feel life-giving nitrates pass through my trunk and carbon dioxide is always there. I feel the lichens grow on my bark and I welcome them.

I am the roots and the leaves and the branches. I wave in the wind and change with the seasons. I feel the rustling in my leaves and the swaying of my branches. I am the tree.

Aca? What is Aca?


	32. Chapter 32

Then a tiny tendril of awareness creeps through me. I am Aca. But what is Aca? Then a memory comes back to me. Sitting under a spreading tree with a boy, a boy with blue fur and laughing golden eyes and he's leaning in towards me, so nervous but then I am too and then all hell breaks loose. And I'm dying and all I can think is one word and that word is a name and that name is Kurt.

And that's who Aca is. I'm the smart street kid who missed out on the kiss with the boy she fancies like crazy because of some FOH nutjobs.

Then I feel my roots gradually curling in and my branches become fingers, hands and arms and I'm shrinking and then I'm Aca again and I can collapse to the ground completely and utterly exhausted. I hear shouts of joy but I'm too tired to comprehend and then warm three-fingered hands pick me up and I'm being gently carried through the school and there's whispers but I don't care because I'm back. I'm back! I'm back and Kurt's with me and he won't leave me and he will never leave because he was the weight in my branches all that time.

And I'm carefully placed down on a bed in the Medi-Lab and Dr McCoy's fussing over me. And a low voice that I know very, **very** well whispers in my ear.

"Welcome back Aca. Best Christmas present **ever**."

I smile and nod then sit bolt upright.

"CHRISTMAS!"

Then the needle in plunged into my arm and I fall into the blissful oblivion of sleep.


	33. Chapter 33

The first thing I'm aware of are the voices. Low, urgent.

"Sam, you can't go in. Aca is incredibly ill and disorientated. For all we know, the time she has spent as a tree, rather humorously a robinia although I am the only staff member to get the joke, seeing as a robinia is a flowering acacia- Never mind. The time she spent as a tree could have seriously impaired her higher-brain functions. Sam, Aca is semi-conscious at the best of times. You can't go in right now."

"But it's important."

"Why Sam?"

"You know the new boy. What's his name… the one who calls himself Shaper…? He and loads of the newer kids want to know who Aca is. I mean, Kurt and Kitty practically banned her name from ever being **mentioned** and loads of the students wanted to know why Kurt seemed to worship the tree in the centre of the football pitch that looked like it shouldn't be there and had the fence put up around it."

"The newer students will have to curb their curiosity Sam. And I congratulate you on Josh's success. How does it feel to have your sight back?"

"Odd. It's like I was used to the blackness and now there's so much light. I wish Aca had been there though. She would have been so amazed."

"Yes, Mr Foley's powers of healing are most impressive. But I'm afraid Aca can't be seen."

"You let Kurt in…"

"That's because our redoubtable Mr Wagner pitched camp outside the door of this place of healing, refusing to go to meals until he was allowed in."

"What if I do that?"

"Then Mr Wagner would have to be forced out, which I don't think he'd take very kindly to."

"He's not Aca's only friend. If anything, I owe the most to her."

"In that case Mr Lain, you should be quiet and allow her to sleep, which would be the best healer right now."

I manage to open my eyes. Kurt is sitting beside me, head dropped onto his chest, snoring softly. I smile, then let myself drop back into the comforting black of sleep.


	34. Chapter 34

It's the middle of the night when my drug-enduced sleep wears off. I look over and Kurt's glowing eyes are fixed on me.

"K…Kurt?"

"Shh. You need to rest."

"Kurt…"

The light flicks on. His face has changed, become more defined. Older. He's changed so much.

"How long…"

"Nearly two years Aca. Two years… It's like you've been dead. Some people said you were. I… We… Kitty, Rogue, Bets, Bobby, Jubes, Pyro and me, all believed you were alive. But it's been hard. There's been times when… I suppose I almost gave up. Telepaths couldn't read you, no life signs. It was almost like you'd never existed. We didn't even have a body if you did die. There was just that tree."

I try to reach out for his hand. He stops me from leaning too far and catches it.

"You're still too weak."

"I feel as strong as I did…then."

"Hank would have my head and tail on platters if he found out about this."

"What…what have I missed?"

"Well… Me and others, Kitty, Bets, Rogue, Jubes, Pyro, Bobby and the new girl Lorna, who ended up as Kitty's roommate have been put on a junior X-team. There's supposed to be nine of us but we sort of decided that you have that place. Honorary membership and so on. To be honest, Lorna probably ended up on the fringe. We were the Aca lot. And she was an outsider, muscling to take the place of a dear friend. At least, that's what she thought."

I feel suddenly…almost…it's a feeling I've not had for over…well for me, two years. Really, four years… Then I glance over at the mirror. My face has changed, turned older. Straight black hair, brownish-green eyes, soft lines of my face, all of which display the fact Mum's family were British-Chinese. I **am **older. Then I recognize the feeling.

Love. I am loved.


	35. Chapter 35

In the morning, Dr McCoy immediately starts to give me a check up. Shines a light in my eyes, checks my responses.

"Dr McCoy?"

"Yes Acacia?"

"I want to try something."

"What?"

"Previously, the more plant I go, the slower my brain works. I want to try and go plant a bit at a time. To see if I can find my tipping point."

He frowns.

"Aca…"

"Look, I need to see if I'm still change. If I can't, I'm pretty much a baseline. And I want to know before I go to one of Logan's sessions."

"Aca…"

"Please."

He frowns then sighs.

"You'll do it anyway."

I nod then allow myself to go tree. I don't really care what I'm becoming. I think it's some sort of pine. And then I realize something. My brain isn't slowing. I'm over two-thirds plant and my brain is racing ahead, faster than it's ever been. I'm human but I'm so much more. This is how a plant thinks. A series of interconnected images, all to do with the environment. Normally when I'm this far in I've almost lost control on my human side. But now I can fully appreciate what a plant is. There are new senses as well. One, an almost mix between sight and touch, is all about light. Another, almost hearing and scent, is about water. Then Dr McCoy is yelling at me.

"Turn back Aca. Turn back **right** now!"

"It's fine. I'm still thinking. Faster than I ever have before. This is…**amazing**. I'm…I'm the plant but the plant is me…"

And I turn back, before Dr McCoy has a heart attack. Everything goes dull and I feel so…empty. It's like I'm only really me when I'm a plant.

"Aca, I could barely see your human form. You were almost entirely plant."

"I could see… I could hear… Dr McCoy, I…I was still me. I think… Do you think I needed to go all the way to full plant before I could change without having to lose my mind? I think… I think I've changed."

He opens his mouth to say something and then the comm-thing all X-Men wear starts beeping.

"Hank, get ready. We've got an injured woman. Really bad. Slit throat."

And Dr McCoy goes all business-like.

"You were told to **stop** the assassin. Not kill her Logan."

"Hank, it's not like that. They wanted to get me. They were controlling her. Hank, she slit her own throat to avoid killing me."

And Dr McCoy goes a paler shade of blue.

"Oh my stars and garters…"

I'm shocked. A woman is dying. A woman is dying. And here I am messing around, playing at being a mutant. Experimenting without caring about those who suffer. I never really wondered why Logan's claws were metal. Or the rest of his skeleton. And there I was thinking how unlucky I was to live on the streets for under a year. What am I?


	36. Chapter 36

Mrs Grey-Summers comes in first and gives a hurried talk to Dr McCoy who nods. Then Logan and Mr Summers, neither of who have changed out of their uniform, came rushing in with a stretcher between them. I can see red hair, or is it black hair stained red? I can see blood, lots and lots of blood. An oxygen mask. Black military style jumpsuit. Like the stuff those SHIELD agents wear. I try to look closer but Miss Munroe pushes me back to the bed and draws the curtains around the woman. Logan hugs her and she shudders.

"Miss…Miss Munroe?"

"Aca. I'm sorry you have to see this."

"Who…who is she?"

Her eyes seem so sad.

"We don't know. Telepathic shields, nothing by means of schooling or birth certificate. She's…"

"Someone who never existed."

"Logan!"

"It's true 'Ro. I've dealt with these people before. Yer not a person. Yer a weapon, an experiment. And that girl's been living with them since she was a kid. Ya can see it in her eyes. And she took a way out."

And Miss Munroe, who I sometimes think would make a great Evil High Priestess if she wasn't so sweet, what with the whole emotionless thing, starts crying. And it immediately starts raining on my bed.

Logan just hugs her whispering something that sounds like 'it's okay darling, it's okay'. And then Hank comes out and I can tell by the look on his face and Logan can too. And I know this is something personal and I shouldn't be here.

"She's asking for you."

Logan almost gulps and then steps behind the curtain. Mr Summers and Mrs Grey-Summers step out. I suppose Logan wants to be alone. He speaks softly, gently. In a tone I've never heard him use before.

"You didn't ask for this, did ya? They stole yer life and sent ya ta kill me. And instead of killing me, you slit yer own throat. Who are you?"

I hear something low and quiet, a woman's voice. But the words are slurred and I can't hear them properly. And then Logan steps out and I know the woman, whoever she is, has died alone, with no one there to care about her. Mr Summers just goes all business-like. I want to scream at him, want to make him give a little respect. Someone has just died. And she didn't even have a **name**. What sort of a life is that?

"Who was she?"

"I don't understand really. She said she **would** have been someone. Almost as if this wasn't meant to happen."

"For heaven's sake Logan, this **should never **have happened! A woman is dead because she was too humane. What world do we live in where this is possible?"

And I want to cry, but how can you cry when you don't know a person? And Mrs Grey-Summers sees my face and sits next to me.

"Sometimes, we aren't able to save those who need saving."

"I thought she was an assassin."

"No. She wasn't. She'd been sent to capture Logan by tipping us off about a planned assassination and then attacking. I wasn't able to get thoughts but I got the gist. To begin with, she was fighting to capture. And then something mechanical took over. Shaper had come with us, mainly just to see what we did. He's a cyberpath, as well as being a bit of a technopath."

"Huh?"

"It means he can talk to computers and machines. He's also technomorphic."

"Huh?"

"It's like your mutation, but with machines."

"Ohh."

"Well Shaper worked out that machines had taken over control of her body. And as she leapt to kill, she twisted in the air. Managed to cut her own throat. And what she said…"

Logan cuts in, sounding bitter.

"Free. Finally free.' She defined death as freedom. She was a damn sight braver than I could ever be."

"Logan, no one blames you."

He buried his head in his hands.

"She died to save me. And I would have killed her if given half the chance."

I close my eyes. I pretend I'm brave, but that nameless woman was a lot braver than I could ever be. From now on, I'm going to try and be a little more like her. Not the whole throat-slitting thing. But the sacrifice bit. I shouldn't be here. This is for the X-Men. And for all I pretend, I'm just Aca.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>Choccy Biccies for those who can name the woman and tell me what her last words were!_


	37. Chapter 37

I curl up on the bed, doing my best not to cry. The X-Men have left and Dr McCoy is behind the curtain, cleaning the body. He would do it elsewhere but he wants to keep an eye on me as well. He's so quiet but I can sense the mixture of gases in the air. I know what's happening. I want to help but I think I'd throw up. So instead I turn myself into oak. Trees can't cry. Not properly cry. And I know that if I start to cry, I'll never be able to stop. I am wooden. Hard. Strong. I won't break or bend easily. I have to… Too late. I'm crying.

"Aca?"

"It's fine Dr McCoy. It's fine."

But he won't take any of that and just hugs me to him.

"Haven't we done this before sir?"

"You need to cry."

And so I do. Dr McCoy is as good a handkerchief as he was before. Although he's changed his shampoo to something else, he still smells surgical but in a good way.

"We can't save everybody Aca. We can try, but there will be casualties."

"But it's so…**pointless**."

"Aren't all conflicts?"

I snuggle closer into the fur and blow my nose. To Dr McCoy's credit, he doesn't look disgusted. I have a small idea. Stretching out my hand, I imagine the most beautiful flowers I can, interspaced with mint and leaves. It grows in the palm of my hand, all pure white aside from the green leaves and a single black lily I spent weeks working on as an experiment.

"Dr McCoy…?"

He nods and carefully removes the growth. I don't wince when the stalks are removed from my hands. I'm strong now. I am strong.


	38. Chapter 38

When I woke the next day, I knew instantly the woman has been moved. The curtains had been removed and the bed was as pristine as it ever was. Yeah. But I remember the blood. I can't get it out of my head. Every time I close my eyes I see her from that brief glimpse. All the blood and the functionality of her clothes. She wasn't a person.

And I finish getting my stuff together. Because my grades were good enough, Professor Xavier and Dr McCoy have done something to allow me to have passed the exams I missed. Mainly A's but a few B's and a C in American History- surprise, surprise. Officially therefore, I've left school. I'm **eighteen**, nearly nineteen. And it was only a few days for me that I was celebrating my seventeenth birthday. Yeah, it's not easy. Kurt bamfs into existence beside me.

"I'll carry this stuff."

"Thanks."

We don't talk about what happened that day. Not about the shooting or the almost-kiss. We're just friends. And that's all we'll ever be. Kurt's dating Amanda, a non-mutant girl who he knew from way back. And I'm not going to ruin that for him. I snatch most of my stuff back off Kurt.

"You can't carry **everything**."

"I can try."

Did I mention, because I've graduated from the school, I get my own room in the staff block? Finally, no more listening to Kitty snoring. They are very dainty snores (as she forced me to say after getting Bobby to sit on my head) but snores none the less. Kitty and the others have been in, including Strobe, who's miraculously got his eyesight back after a healer named Josh (who gave me the once over and told me **and** Dr McCoy I was fine) fixed him up. It's good to see Strobe all healthy. And Ellie…

I swear that kid's grown a foot. Ten and a half years old and as bubbly and bright as any kid should be. She jumped on my bed for a bit until Dr McCoy removed her. I snatch my photo album back off Kurt and hand him the pile of cards people insisted on sending me instead.

We walk down the corridor, chatting carefully. I'm the only one who knows about the woman other than the official X-Men. And then a voice calls out a name and I freeze. Because that name's been dead for three and a bit years and only one person **ever** used that name.

"Bina? Bina, is that you?"

To turn or not to turn, that is the question.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>I've got prelims (mock exams) and I need to revise. Expect updates sporadically. Sorry for any inconvenience caused._


	39. Chapter 39

"Bina, that is you!"

Kurt turns.

"Shaper?"

Shaper? Is that what they call him? That's not his name. His name is James. And he's my…my… I turn, slowly, dreading this. A fourteen year old boy, gangly, pale and with messy sandy brown hair that looks like he's in a permanent state of electric shock. He's not changed much. His deep blue eyes are wide with shock.

"BINA! It is you!"

And he's suddenly hugging me, trying not to cry. Yeah. He's not changed at all.

"I thought you were dead."

And I have to hug him back. And Kurt's eyes are wide with shock and maybe just a little accusation.

"Kurt, why didn't you **tell** me Bina was here?"

"Bina?"

"Yeah. Her name's Bina, short for Robinia. I could never pronounce her full… Bina?"

And he's looking at me oddly.

"I've not been Bina for ages."

"Excuse me, but do you two know each other?"

"Nightcrawler, she's my **sister**."

And Kurt is angry now.

"WHAT! Aca, why didn't you tell me?"

"Aca? Her name isn't Aca. It's Bina. Although I'm not supposed to call her that…"

And I'm between a rock and a hard place. And Kurt is dragging me to the Professor, muttering something in German I'm pretty sure is very, **very** rude.


	40. Chapter 40

The Professor frowns.

"James, Ac-Robinia, is this true?"

"Yes Sir. And I think I'd like to stay as Aca. Robinia was a girl who died when she arrived in the city."

"But Bina…"

"James, I think that…Aca should be allowed to finish."

"I ran away to keep my family safe. I changed my name and my…outlook on life. I became hard I suppose. There's Robinia, who had all this dreams and things she wanted to do and there's Aca who did what she had to do and surrendered her dreams. And right now, I'm Aca. I don't think I can ever be Bina again."

"Bina…"

"I'm sorry but it's true. I've had some bad experiences. Do you know why I was a tree?"

"No."

"I was shot."

And then I carefully slip down my top to reveal the knot of wood, the one piece of me that won't change back.

"Right there. And when I arrived on the street, I was… Actually, I can't tell you. You'd probably hate me for the rest of my life."

"Bina?"

"Look, I didn't **mean** to hurt him. I was scared and I couldn't control my mutation."

"You almost…"

"He healed. I should point out he healed!"

The Professor just sighed.

"I will need to ring your parents."

And ice goes down my back. I try to speak but find I can only whisper.

"Don't. Please, please don't."


	41. Chapter 41

"Professor Xavier? Is this about James? We came as soon as you rang."

"Mrs Oakley, this isn't about James. James is perfectly fine and doing very well. No. This is about another student. Acacia, will you come out?"

I stand still, frozen in the shadows. I can't step out now.

"Aca?"

"Acacia? Professor Xavier, what is this girl to do with us?"

"Hi Dad. Mum."

And I step out of the shadows, blinking in the light. Did I mention how different Mum and Dad look? Mum's tiny, all glossy dark black hair and warm brown eyes. Dad's tall and all arms and legs, with sandy brown hair that won't do what he tells it. I look like Mum but have the advantage of Dad's height, without looking like I'm all limbs. They are both staring at me.

"Robinia…?"

"It's Acacia. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

And they don't move.

"Why? Why did you run?"

I close my eyes and let the wood spread from the little circle, across my chest, up my neck, down my arms and legs. In under thirty seconds, my body is totally wood, including my eyes. My eyes feel odd. Almost unmovable. I know what I look like. A carved wooden doll with carefully shaped hair.

"Bina…"

I turn back then allow the flowers to grow in my hair, lilies, roses, daisies and forget-me-nots.

"Didn't you see the slide?"

"Bina… The slide? We thought… we thought that was a joke."

"It's not. I'm…I'm not human."

"Aca, don't say that."

"It's true Professor. The human being is an animal and I'm a plant. I'm not human."

And then Mum is holding me close, her carefully cultivated American accent with the twinge of British returning to Glaswegian.

"You stupid, **stupid** girl! Why didn't you **tell** us?"

I blush and they look at me worriedly.

"You're green."

"It' just the colour I blush. I'm… I'm…"

Typical. I'm crying again. I seem unable to do anything else. I turn my eyes wooden. I won't cry.

"Stop that this instant!"

My eyes go back to normal and the tears flow. I never thought I'd see them again. Dad is frowning. I think he's going to ask one of his difficult questions.

"Where were you?"

The Professor tilts his head towards me.

"_Tell them whatever you want. I would advise you don't mention Ring though."_

"I was on the run for a month. Sort of drifted to New York. We all do in the end. I thought about joining the Morlocks but I could pass as normal so there was no big problem. I lived rough for about five months, met Kurt-"

"James writes a lot about a Kurt, German?"

"Yeah. That's Kurt. I sent Ell to him-"

"Ell?"

"The kid I took in. She was going to end up in MRD custody the way she was going. I ended up being picked up by the school about a month later. I got my grades back up, made friends, got shot-"

"SHOT! Professor Xavier, what sort of school do you run?"

"I imagine the fact Acacia attacked the FOH strike team head on may have had something to do with her being shot. She was outside and unable to get to the shelters in time."

"It wasn't my best birthday. I spent nearly two years as a tree in an attempt to stay alive and sort of forgot I was ever human. I…I only just got back."

"You were a tree? Bina, what are you?"

"I'm a mutant. I…I can talk to plants and they talk back. I can read their DNA and make it my own. I can photosynthesise and I don't really need to eat. Even when I'm 'normal' I still have plant cells. I can't turn back to normal. I don't have veins or arteries. I have xylem and phloem. And part of me will always be a tree."

"Where?"

I show then the penny-sized piece of wood on my chest.

"It touches my heart. I can feel it. This little cold piece of wood. It reminds me of what I am."

They look oddly shell-shocked and I use this as an excuse to run.

"Professor, I still haven't finished sorting my stuff. I need to unpack."

That's me. Always running from the things I should face up to. The Professor nods.

"_Go. But we will need to talk more about this Acacia. Or rather, Robinia Oakley."_

"_Don't call me that."_

I slip out before anyone can stop me. Kurt is resting on the wall opposite, his image inducer on. And a scowl on his face.

"Turn it off. I hate that face. It's not you."

"And you weren't you either."

"Kurt…"

"We were best friends. I told you **everything** about me and you told me **nothing**. What sort of friendship is that?"

"Kurt… I'm sorry but I honestly thought I would never see my parents again. If there had been the slightest **hint** I could have gone back, I would have **told** you. Please believe me…"

"I thought you ran away because your parents hated mutants. They don't. They left everything when Shaper started talking to his school computers. They would have left for you as well."

"Kurt…"

He turns and walks away.

"Goodbye Robinia."

"KURT! I'm still Aca!"

"No. Aca was my friend. Robinia was the one who killed her."


	42. Chapter 42

I curl up on the corner of the double bed in my new room and slam my fist into the pillows again and again. Stupid, **stupid** Kurt. Stupid, **stupid** Aca. **Stupid**, **hateful** Robinia who ruined the best friendship I ever had.

"Aca?"

A curly brown head sticks through the door. I don't mean they open the door which would be pretty difficult as it's locked, but the head comes through the door and the body is on the other side.

"Kitty. Please go away."

"Is this about Kurt? Look, I know he has a girlfriend but-"

"I DON'T FANCY KURT! Get it into your thick skull, we were just friends!"

One thing that can be said about Kitty is that she always knows, just from what I say.

"Were?"

And she steps through the door. Ten minutes later and I've told her everything. About my childhood, my real name, why I ran…and Kurt's reaction.

"Is that why he's locked in his room crying his eyes out?"

"What?"

"Kurt is locked in his room making those noises boys always make when they're trying not to cry. And when I asked, he said he had a cold. Which means he's crying."

"Crying?"

"Oh yeah."

And I find that this is one of the things I've missed most. Kitty just being there for me all the time.

"Thanks."

"For what A- Bina?"

"Aca. Thanks for being you."

"Well I couldn't be anyone else could I?"

"I mean, thank you for always understanding what I mean and not teasing me **much** and listening to my stupid life story and staying over the holidays when you'd much rather be at home to make me and the other homeless kids feel better and for never getting mad at me when I'm an obnoxious brat and for helping me around the school and helping me fudge my American History reports and for being my friend."

Kitty blinks.

"Do you know, that's the longest I've ever heard you talk other than for the 'I AM SCOTTISH' that is school legend by now."

"What?"

And she giggles.

"I'll show you."

xXx

THEY PUT IT ON YOUTUBE! I AM GOING TO **KILL** BOBBY! I WILL GIVE HIM A SLOW AND PAINFUL DEATH FROM SOME LITTLE KNOWN POISON, JUST TO GET MY REVENGE! AND JUBILEE IS IN **JUST** AS MUCH TROUBLE FOR HER PEPPY LITTLE COMMENTARY!


	43. Chapter 43

The quality is good, better than most phone videos. But then what would you expect from one of Kitty's pet projects? It's titled 'Why You Shouldn't Call a Scot English." And Jubilee is commentating.

"_Well this what happened month of so ago when I got the wrong present for my friend."_

_I'm blinking at the bag, it's red and white clear and obvious. The Jubilee on the video pipes up._

"_I wanted to get you something to remind you of home."_

_And there it is, the slight twitching of my eye._

""_Jubilee?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_What flag is this?"_

"_British."_

"_No Jubes, this is the English flag."_

"_And?"_

"_I'M SCOTTISH YOU IDIOT! I'M **SCOTTISH**! IF I WAS ENGLISH I'D BE OKAY WITH THIS BUT I FOLLOW THE SALTIRE OR LION RAMPANT TO THE GRAVE, NOT ST. GEORGE'S CROSS! I DON'T FOLLOW THE SYMBOL OF A MAN WHO WENT AROUND KILLING DRAGONS! I FOLLOW THE BLUE AND WHITE OF THE SALTIRE, WHICH WE HAVE BECAUSE A KING WAS LED TO VICTORY BY ST. ANDREW WHO SPREAD HIS CROSS IN CLOUDS OVER THE BLUE SKY! NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT! Cha togar m' fhearg gun dìoladh! Wha daur meddle wi' me? No one attacks me with impunity! I'M SCOTTISH! SCOTTISH DO YOU HEAR! AND I WOULDN'T BE ANYTHING ELSE! No offence meant Bets."_

"_None taken."_

"_ANYWAY, I'M A SCOT AND PROUD! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR STUPID ST. GEORGE'S CROSS BAG? YOU **COULD** HAVE GOT A UNION FLAG, WHICH AT LEAST REPRESENTS SCOTLAND FAIRLY! DID YOU KNOW THE ORIGINAL PLANS HAD THE SALTIRE **HERE**!"_

_My hands are pointing at one corner of the flag, in one of the white sections._

"_AND WHAT'S WITH PEOPLE DRAWING OUR FLAG WITH A DARK BLUE BACKGROUND? THAT'S TENERIFE'S FLAG! OUR FIELD WAS STANDARDISED TO AZURE IN 2003! OR YOU COULD HAVE GOT THE LION RAMPANT, OUR ROYAL BANNER. HAH, WE HAVE A SCARY LION, NOT A HARP OR THREE LIONS, BUT A BIG RED AGGRESSIVE LION! AND WHAT'S WITH THE ROSE AS A FLOWER? THE THISTLE HAS A USE! IT HELPED REPEL VIKING INVADERS!"_

"_A-"_

"_No, I've not stopped ranting yet. I'M SCOTTISH AND PROUD, UNDERSTAND? UNDERSTAND? CALLING ME ENGLISH IS LIKE CALLING A CANADIAN, AMERICAN AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT MR LOGAN DID TO **THAT** POOR UNFORTUNATE. CALLING A SCOT, ENGLISH IS ABOUT EIGHT TIMES AS WORSE! I'M **SCOTTISH**! **SCOTTISH** UNDERSTAND? Right, rant over. Sorry Jubes. I'm touchy on that. Hug?"_

_And we hug. Jubilee's peppy commentary comes back in._

"_Do you **know** how frightened I was? That girl can rant. Thanks to the Iceman for this video and Pyromaniac12 for use of his account. This is Firecracker, signing off."_

Like I said, Jubilee, Bobby and John are all going to die. But I have got a lot more likes that dislikes and about fifteen fellow countrymen/women congratulating me on standing up for Scotland. Oh, and some guy wants my number. Not a chance.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>This is for Jeanniebird and adelphe24, my two most faithful reviewers. Hope you liked it!**  
><strong>_


	44. Chapter 44

I stand in the corner watching as the green-haired girl, Lorna, or Polaris as we're supposed to call her when training, turns the robot into a pile of scrap metal. Kurt's the first over to congratulate her, smiling and laughing. I feel like an outsider. Rogue comes and stands next to me.

"It's good to have you back sugah."

"Thanks Rogue."

Logan turns to me.

"Thistle, let's see whether you can remember your training."

Kitty (Shadowcat), Bets (Psylocke), Bobby (Iceman- how unoriginal) and John (I mean, honestly?) wander over to join Jubes, who didn't bother with a codename, Kurt and Rogue. I gulp. Logan is standing in front of me, grinning slightly. Then I close my eyes. Find the centre point. And allow the plants to spread out from my heart. Hardwood for defence, nettle, thistle and bramble for offence. And digitalis. Belladonna. Poisons. I'm good at poisons. Logan gives me a cursory glance.

"Good. Mixture of defence and offence. Does the wood impede mobility?"

I shake my head. He nods. Then lunges. I duck, managing to miss the first blow. I feel the hairs on the nettle inject their poison, feel the thistle being ripped from my skin. Logan doesn't make much noise but I let him lunge again. And I stab him with the poison-soaked wooden splinter. Logan staggers back, coughs and makes a horrible noise. Maybe I overdid the poisons? Oh, please don't let me have killed him!

He staggers upright and grins.

"That was a good move."

Then he lunges at me and scores appear in my wood where he slashed me. I yelp in pain. He appears to have forgotten that injuries I sustain as a plant are converted onto my human body. I'm still trying to get rid of the EM4JO carved into my trunk when I was a tree. We've taken to injecting Warren's blood into me. Warren, I should point out, is our probationary tenth member. The scar's healing up but when I find out **who** EM is, they are **so** dead. Then Logan has slammed into me, forcing me to execute a barrel roll. Kitty whoops and breaks my concentration, turning me back to normal and allowing dripping sap to seep from my cuts. I wince as Logan, not able to stop in time, comes crashing into me. Kurt's over by us in a second, pulling Logan off of me. His golden eyes show worry.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

I cough and freeze. Greenish-red sap is now coating my hand. Kurt immediately goes into leader-mode, which he shares with Kitty.

"Bobby, get Dr McCoy. Rogue, get Cyclops. Jubilee, get Josh down here **now**."

I can't miss a chance as good as this.

"Thought you hated me."

He looks as if he wants to hit me around the head.

"Don't worry Aca. It's going to be alright."

As everything starts to go fuzzy, I feel a rush of excitement. Aca! He called me Aca!


	45. Chapter 45

Dr McCoy just sighs.

"You seem to spend more time in this place of healing than out."

"So?"

"It's unhealthy."

"I thought spending time with a doctor would be healthy."

"You are incorrigible Acacia."

"Yep, that's me."

He sighs.

"You've healed, surprisingly quickly. Oh, and the scar's gone. Warren felt quite happy to donate some extra blood when he heard you had internal bleeding."

"Yeah, how does that work? I don't even have blood. I have sap."

"I don't know how it works, it just does."

"Dr McCoy? You actually **don't** know something!"

He sighs. Again.

"I do know, it's just if I said I did, you'd want to know how and you'd end up with a headache."

"Why didn't you **say** that?"

"Because you wouldn't believe me."

"Good point."

He smiles.

"You know, you really have got potential to be a doctor. I've seen you helping the younger children when they get injured. If you were to take the time out to train as a medic, I would help sponsor you to get into a good university."

"What… Wait… WHAT!"

He smiles good-naturedly.

"I said, you'd make a good doctor. Have you ever thought about pursuing medicine as a career path? I could always do with another medic here."

"Er, you did just say I spent more time in here as a patient than anyone."

"Well then."

He points at a piece of equipment.

"What's that?"

"Your Shi'ar enhanced hand-held X-Ray scanner."

He smiles.

"I'd say you know all the equipment in this room as well as I do."

I think about it. He's probably right. In the days I spend here, he always tells me exactly what the equipment is, what it does and how it does it. He recites the bones of the body and points out where muscles attach. I frown.

"I thought I was on the team."

"You can do the same as Warren and only train part-time."

"Yeah, but Warren's family are all in business and he's expected to take over."

"And I'll put you down as my student and helper when you leave."

Could I do it? Could I be a doctor? I think I could be.

"Where would I stay?"

"If you go to a university nearby, you could stay here."

I lower my head.

"Can I think about this?"

He smiles kindly.

"I'm not pressuring you. I just think you'd make a good doctor."

I smile back.

"Thanks."


	46. Chapter 46

First, I should say my parents and I have always had a good relationship. It was out of fear for them that I ran away in the first place. Secondly, I need to say they normally support me in most of the things I do. Like when I decided I wanted to play basketball, even when the rest of the team were all boys. But sometimes they put their feet down. Like when I decided I was going to join the rugby team. And when I decided I was going to join the junior X-Men team. They're absolutely fine with me going to study as a doctor. But say I want to spend my spare time saving the world? Uh-uh. Which leads us into the argument.

"Robinia, you were **shot**!"

"I survived!"

"You were a TREE!"

"And if I stayed on the streets, I would have been in a far worse situation than I'm in now!"

"What do you mean?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a young woman now! I'd have been picked up by some guy when I was desperate or Ring would have got me!"

"Ring?"

I stop. I haven't told them about Ring, or anything else about living rough for that matter.

"Bina, what aren't you telling us."

I can't tell them. How would they react?

"It doesn't matter. Ring was just…another mutie gang leader."

I can tell they don't believe me. **I** don't believe me! But to avoid any more arguments, I stand up and grab my coat.

"My friends are on that team. They gave me a home and looked after me when I was unable to do so myself. I'm not going to let them risk their lives when I could be there helping them."

They just glare at me but I ignore that. I'm wood. I don't feel. Emotions are strange to me. I step out into cold air and Bobby frowns at the look on my face.

"That bad eh?"

"You wouldn't believe it Iceboy."

"Iceman thank you very much."

"Bobby, the day you act is if you're mature is the day I'll call you Iceman."

He grins and punches my shoulder.

"Aca, Aca, what would we do without you?"

"Er… You managed didn't you?"

"Yeah, but there was no one to rant about the American way of life as Bets is much too polite."

Bobby ducks my hand swiping towards his head.

"Come on. We all need you to be the grumpy one on the team. Kitty's the brainy one, Kurt's the responsible one, Jubes is the sassy one, Pyro's the slightly mad one, Lorna's the shy one, Rogue's the sweet one, Warren's the rich one, Kurt's the responsible one and I'm the funny one!"

I snort at that.

"You? Funny? Give me a break."

He laughs and opens the door for the Institute car.

"After you ma'am."


	47. Chapter 47

My brother stares across the table at me. This was the Professor's idea. Get me reintegrated with my family. James' electric blue eyes are boring into me.

"Who are you? Really I mean. Cause you sure ain't Bina."

"I'm…I'm Aca. I'm the girl who fought to survive. I'm the one who rallied the others around me and stood up to Sabretooth's son. I'm the one who paid the price. I'm the one who was saved and cared for by the Professor."

"And was shot."

I unconsciously twitch my shirt up over the wooden circle. Dr McCoy's been taking samples and claims that the bark has the same DNA as my base from. In other words, it's Aca-wood. Normally, I'm fine showing it. But when people bring up what it represents…I get nervous. I'm just…twitchy, especially around guns. And if the TV shows the FOH, people always discreetly change channels instead of throwing food at the screen like we used to. It's not much but it's a sign of how much has changed. Other than Rogue having temper-tantrums with Mr Le Beau and Kitty dating Peter, not much has changed. Jubes, Pyro and Bobby are still the Terrible Threesome, pulling pranks left, right and centre only with the privilege of being 'assistants', meaning they can't be punished other than extra Danger Room time. Kitty's still as smart as anything around computers. Kurt's still…well, **Kurt**. They haven't changed much. But the situation we're in, the way we respond? That couldn't be any different. Like now for instance.

James is staring at me. Robinia would be friendly. Aca would be brusque. Thistle is wary, a testament to Logan's training and time on the streets. Watch and learn, let the other person make the first move and see their weaknesses. Thistle. Prickly but not deadly, hurtful but not lethal. The plant that warned of raiders in the night. I felt it fitted in with who I was, am and hope to be, as well is it fitting in with the Professor's code of non-lethal force. James ends up speaking first.

"It's like… you're not my sister. You've hardened, became tough. I want Bina who used to call me 'squirt' and played stupid games with me. It's like that girl's dead."

He looks so…sad. The gap-toothed nine-year-old I left behind shines through. I touch his hand.

"I lived in a world where I was worth less than yesterday's paper. Anyone could do **anything** to me and the police wouldn't bring then to justice because I 'fraternised' with muties. If they found out I was one as well… Let's just say, some of the police would be quite happy to be the ones causing me pain. I had to become tough to survive. I wasn't going to become reliant on drugs to block things out or on someone who picked me up on a street corner. So yeah, I'm not exactly Bina anymore."

He just gives me his sad puppy eyes.

"I know."

I tug him into a hug.

"I'm still your sister though and I still care about you."

"Thanks. Just keep that creepy Ellie kid away from me. I swear she's got a crush on me."

Wait… JO. James Oakly. And EM. Ellie? The only kid who could get past Kurt and Kitty. Right. That girl is going **down**.


	48. Chapter 48

Ellie just looks ashamed.

"I'm sorry…"

"You thought it was alright to carve into **me** about your crush on my **brother**?"

"Look! They didn't **tell** me it was you!"

"Oh! So Aca disappears and a fully-developed tree appears in the grounds and you don't put two and two together?"

"I thought it was a memorial tree! They didn't tell me **anything**! I…I thought you were dead! And they were always there! I never get a chance to practise so I thought…if I could get past Kurt, then I could get past anyone."

Her eyes are crumpling, she's going to cry… I pull her into a hug.

"No harm done Ells. Just remember, never carve into trees. They might just be me."

She gives a watery grin and hugs me tightly.

"Oh, and try to find someone other than my brother. He's a great kid but I just get freaked out by the thought of you and him together."

"He ignores me."

"Well then, more of a reason to not follow him around. Look, Ells, I'm going to be late for my first lecture."

She lets go and hands me a small beaded circle. I remember them! Friendship bracelets! To please her, I slip the little threads over my hand and wave it about.

"Look, I'm going to be lucky today!"

She laughs and I lean over.

"Great colour scheme!"

It is as well, earthy browns and greens that fit in with my clothing style, but with a twist of brilliant purple, the same colour I used as highlights on the uniform for the Beta X-Men. I refuse to call us Young X-Men as Mr Summers was younger than us when he started leading the X-Men. We're the Beta team, the back-ups, the ones sent to the less dangerous missions. Last week we were sent to a robbery with a guy called, I kid you not, Stilt-Man! The idiot used wooden stilts. I sparked the dormant life within them and caused him to take root. Bobby wanted me to make him tap-dance but I thought he looked stupid enough with a foot tied to each tree. We left before the police arrived. But I thought, no I **knew** that someone was watching me. I give Ellie one last hug, grab my bag, a nineteenth birthday present from Jubes, with a Saltire on it (yes, she learnt her lesson) and coat, shout goodbye to Kitty who's in the room next to me, stick my head into Jube's room to tell her where the TV remote is hidden, and finally into Kurt's room.

"I'm sorry Kurt. I'll talk when I get back, if you want me to."

Yes, Amanda's parents found out and pretty much forced her to dump him. He took it badly. I run down the stairs, sign the slip of paper saying I'm not going to use the car for illegal purposes etc, and run out. It would look really, really bad to be late on my first day. I end up parking a bit away from campus, as it's faster to run there because of the traffic. Then I hear a scream from a person I know very well. Someone who went into New York today to get Kurt's birthday present.

"SAM!"

I charge down the alley and freeze. Strobe is lying spread-eagled on the ground, blood running out of gashes on his chest. Gashes I've seen once too often. And then a boy steps out of the shadows.

"Good to see you Aca. It's been far too long hasn't it?"

I spit out the name.

"Ring."

* * *

><p><strong><em>A.N.<em>**_ I've almost finished this story. I'll continue on Memories and won't start another until I've wrapped it and it's sub-stories up._ _I have got an idea for a sequel to Cells but you'll have to wait for that._


	49. Chapter 49

I glare at Ring as I step back, reaching into my bag to press the alert button that will bring the X-Men to my location. Ring's filthy blond hair hangs over his amber eyes and he's smiling in the way you just **know** means trouble.

"Do you know how long I waited Aca? Waited for you to come back? Imagine my surprise when I saw this weakling-" He kicks Strobe who moans, "-who I'm pretty certain I dealt with, healthy and wearing clothes that actually fitted. Oh, I worked out where you where Aca. Right away. I just had to watch as you played at being normal to those freak friends of yours. But you're not normal are you? You're still marked."

I laugh a cold, bitter laugh.

"Not anymore. The scar's gone."

"Oh, Aca. You're always marked. Grab her."

Strong hands grab around me and I struggle but I feel the knife being pressed to my cheek and sap trickling down my face. I press the button on the small coin-shaped alert and throw it so it lands on Strobe, deliberately disguising my movement with a roundhouse kick. Logan's taught me well, increased my ability, but I can't hold them all off, not without the others. We've been trained to fight as a team. On our own, we're good, but not good enough. I lunge at Ring and send out a vine but he bats it away.

"Oh, Aca. You really are just making life harder for yourself."

Then a pad is pressed over my mouth and nose and I smell bitter chloroform. I slump, enlarging my stomata, not using my mouth and nose to breathe. Fighting's getting me nowhere. Better to play unconscious and fight back when I have the advantage. Through half-closed eyes I watch as I'm dragged through derelict buildings. Ring's got a new base. Surprise, surprise. Logan, Mr Summers and Mr Rasputin wrecked the last one. I'm finally chucked down unceremoniously onto hard concrete. It's not too bad as I've had worse, including that time Logan wasn't able to catch himself in time and almost stabbed me fatally. But I'm terrified. If the X-Men don't get here in time, or worse still, can't follow my scent, I'm either going to die or have something much, **much** worse happen. I lie spread-eagled on the floor until I hear someone ask if I should be waking up anytime soon. Then I count down from one hundred and thirty six, a random number designed to allay suspicion. Then I groan and start to move. Instantly, a knee is rammed between my shoulder blades to prevent movement and Ring's hair tickles my ear.

"Are you going to cause trouble Aca?"

I don't answer. I **can't** answer. Some idiot's stuffed my mouth with a filthy cloth. I don't even want to **think** where it came from. Ring's hand runs down my back and I try to shy away, hating his touch.

"Now, now. Don't get jumpy on me Aca. Get used to it."

Please! Please! PLEASE! PROFESSOR! CYCLOPS! **KURT!**


	50. Chapter 50

I buck myself upright and manage to displace Ring. Then I struggle to cut the ropes tied tightly around my wrists. But Ring beats me to it and slams into me. I scream as I feel the muscles of my shoulder being torn into by sharp, strong teeth. Sap dribbles from Ring's mouth. I can barely move my right arm. I know the muscles are torn to shreds, that it'll take weeks to fully heal. I grimace and then let the wood spread from my heart and watch the look on Ring's face. He's afraid. Then the look passes and he's arrogant, sure of himself Ring again. But I have him sussed now.

I continue to drag my arm, play up the injury to be worse than it actually is. I know what to do, I know how to fight. We circle each other, watching carefully. Then Ring lunges and I strike out, slamming him with my left side. He grunts as I ram my uninjured shoulder into his stomach. I immediately back off, out of range of his claws. A lackey prepares to lunge at me but I spit the accusation out at Ring.

"Coward! Too afraid to fight me on your own!"

He waves the others aside and I know I've hit home. He can't order them to attack me now without loosing face. I grin at him then duck as he punches me, wincing as my arm shifts. I'm only stalling, desperate to keep alive until the others arrive. Come on guys! Little help needed here! I lean backwards, dodging another wild punch. Ring's mad. Which is good because he looses concentration. What's bad is he may forget he wants me alive. I leap aside and scream as my arm wrenches. Ring laughs and I feel sharp claw-like fingernails catch in my throat. His hand tightens and black splotches appear over my vision. I choke and I close my eyes. Sorry Ellie. Sorry James. Sorry Kitty and Jubes and Rogue and Bobby and Warren. Sorry Kurt. Then a loud voice rings out.

"Let Thistle go!"

Kurt! Ring just laughs.

"Little blue elf! Again you come to rescue her!"

"Yeah. But this time I've got a few friends. Shadowcat! Take the three on the far right! Polaris, the doors! Iceman! The two over there! Jubilee, check the other rooms with Pyro! Angel, if you can hear me, get the Alpha team over here now once you've dropped off Sam! Rogue, you're with me."

I struggle to get out of Ring's grasp and kick him between the legs. He drops me and I want to scream as my shoulder tears even further. Ring's fighting with Rogue and Kurt and I watch in horror as he picks her up by her hair and flings her across the room. Then he snarls at Kurt and I struggle to get up, to help. I watch as Kurt's chest is slashed with claws. Then he crumples and Ring towers over him, preparing to kill.

And I leap, ignoring the pain in my shoulder, ignoring everything but the fact that Kurt is in trouble. Vines tangle Ring's limbs, branches pierce him. Poisons are injected into his veins. And finally, I release a parasitic plant into his system and allow it to take over. His eyes widen with shock as the roots of the plants clasp around his heart and spinal cord.

"Why…?"

It's a gasp, the dying breath of a man.

"Because."

And I slam a hand of long, sharp, deadly, poisonous thorns into his chest.


	51. Chapter 51

Kurt's eyes widen as Ring collapses to the floor. I stagger, trying to ignore the wound, ignoring the screams of the Pack as I sway slightly. Then I feel an odd, all-compassing blackness surround me and I feel myself falling. I expect to hit the ground hard. Instead, arms catch me and soft feathers curl around me. I try to speak but I can't. Then I lose hold of my consciousness.

I open my eyes but all I can see is blackness. I try to move but find myself strapped down. Panicking, I start to buck, desperate to get free. Ring'll kill me! I open my mouth to scream and send out roots.

_ROBINIA OAKLY, YOU WILL STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!_

I freeze. It's the only thing you **can** do when that voice thunders in your head.

_If you continue this way, you will tear the stitches Dr McCoy spent three hours placing in your muscles._

I blink. How badly am I injured?

_Acacia, you are lucky to be alive. You suffered tremendous 'blood' loss and you were almost cationic when Warren brought you here. _

I panic. What happened to the others? Kurt was injured, Rogue was unconscious, Kitty was I don't know where. I feel sadness and immediately try to project.

_Professor, was anyone…hurt?_

_Your team are all safe. Kurt suffered minor flesh wounds and Rogue had concussion, nothing a touch from Logan didn't cure, but…_

And I remember the body lying spread-eagled in the alley.

_I'm sorry Aca. We did everything we could._

And I properly scream and cry as I try to come to terms with the fact that Strobe's dead. Then warm hands take my arms. I hear Kitty and Kurt talking.

"Just stay with us Aca. Stay with us."

I hear Kitty leave then Kurt moves to hold both my hands.

"You stay with me Aca. I can't loose you again. Do you know how scared I was? I…I thought I'd never see you again. It made me realise how much you mean to m-us. Us! How much you mean to us."

I want to smile but my face isn't responding. Instead I squeeze Kurt's hand and feel him squeeze back. He sighs.

"I…Aca, there's no easy way of putting this… Sam's dead. We weren't able to get there in time."

I try to convey I already know but I don't think I manage it properly. I think I've been injected with a muscle relaxant because nothing seems to be doing what I say. I can barely manage hand squeezes. Kurt doesn't speak for a while then makes an odd noise, as if he wanted to say something but decided not to. Then he takes a deep breath, as if he's about to dive into a freezing river.

"You killed him Aca. You killed him."

I don't, can't, say anything. Kurt inhales again then starts.

"He was going to kill me and you killed him. I saw your face. You weren't sad that you killed him. If anything, you were **proud**. Why?"

Because he was going to kill **you** Kurt. I could have let it go if he'd hurt me, but he tried to hurt you. He killed Strobe. So I killed him. I had to. He was going to kill you. And I still lo- like you. As a friend of course. Nothing more than a friend. We're friends. Best friends. And I would never let you die.


	52. Chapter 52

I shiver in the cool draught as I look at myself in the mirror. My face is thin and drawn. I'm pale and wan, hair lank and dull. Then at my shoulder, with its long, wide white scar, huge and ragged, where teeth tore into flesh and veins. No amount of blood transfusions will fix that. Ring saw to it that I'd always have a reminder of him. Each time I close my eyes I see him. I see the look on his face… Why? That's all he could ask. Why? I tell everyone I'm fine, that I did what I had to. But every single time I close my eyes I see his eyes widen and his lips form that word. Why? Why? Why Aca? Why? Why did you kill me? Why? Why did you hurt me? Why? Why didn't you stay with me? Why didn't you love me?

I suppose in a way, Ring did sort of love me. He wanted me so much he wouldn't have anyone else. But I didn't love him, which is what he wanted. I suppose it was just lust he felt. I shudder and pick up the last of my stuff. Three weeks. Three weeks in intensive care. Another four weeks in 'observation'. Hour long meetings with the Professor every day to help me 'readjust'. Really, he just wants to find out how I've reacted to killing someone. I don't answer. I'm not able to tell anyone. How can I? I'm alone. I can't tell anyone what I feel. **I** don't know what I feel! I finish packing and look up at the empty eyes. My eyes. Dull and lost. They don't look like a murderer's eyes. They look like a little girl's, who's lost and alone. My eyes. Empty. The eyes are supposedly the windows to the soul. And what do my eyes say about me? That I'm afraid of what I am and I can't reach out for anyone? That I'm someone who is guarded? Maybe, just maybe, they show that I'm a person who did something terrible to save a life. The life of the person she cares about so, **so** much, she would rather die than live without him. What should you do if a life is at risk? How much is a life worth? Is it alright to kill one person to save a life? Is it alright to kill a person to save a thousand lives? Is it alright to kill a thousand people to save one life? Is killing once proof that I can kill again? Is the fact I feel no regret a sign I'm unfeeling? Does it mean I'll be able to kill again and again, never feeling a flash of regret until I become the sort of person the X-Men swore to fight? Will I be like Sabretooth one day? Able to kill without thought, without a tremor? Do I want to be that person?

I shiver. I look at my eyes again, certain I'll see the cold stare of a sociopath. All I see are the frightened eyes of a teenage girl. I'm not quite at that point. I've seen Logan's eyes. I've seen the eyes of someone who can kill to save lives. I've seen Sabretooth's eyes in his son's. I've seen the eyes of someone who kills for fun. I've seen my eyes. I've seen the eyes of someone who killed out of desperation, out of, I hate to say it, out of love. I never really got over the fact I was never going to be with Kurt. He… He's afraid of me now. I see it in his eyes. I've had a long time to sit with nothing to do and so I think of eyes. Kurt's eyes are afraid. He's scared of me and what I did. He's afraid that he's responsible for Ring's death. He's afraid of the fact I would kill again to save him. And maybe, just maybe, he's afraid **for** me.


	53. Chapter 53

Kurt just smiles shyly when I walk into our room. Not **our** room but our team's room. We were given a room just for us, to socialise and relax in. Kurt's flopped out on the sofa, taking up three seats. He blinks and then Rogue, Kitty and Jubilee drag me aside.

"Tell Lorna that purple does **nothing** for her hair."

I blink.

"Go for pink."

"WHAT! Aca, do you have any **idea** about colours?"

"No, go for a sort of purplish-pink. Like…this!"

I create the flower, an amaryllis, pull it off my fingers and tuck it into Lorna's headband. Kitty and the others blink.

"Okay, you win. That looks fantastic."

I flash them a smile and walk away, trying to get to Kurt. Bobby grabs my arm.

"Look, Aca, I was wondering, could you do me a bulk load of flowers? It's my sister's wedding and I want to surprise her. I thought, a hundred white roses?"

"When for?"

"Next month."

"How about a rose statue of her? If you can get me a photo of her in the dress I can persuade a bush to grow so you have this completely accurate version of her. And it'll still be alive. I can do multiple colours as well."

"Aca, I owe you my life! I still haven't got her a present and that will completely outshine every other present!"

I roll my eyes and moan 'Bobby' before starting towards Kurt. Instantly, Betsy grabs my hand.

"Look Aca, I'm going home this holiday to see my family. Do you want to come with me to see your grandparents?"

And suddenly everything clicks. They want to keep me away from Kurt. They're afraid of how I'll react.

"Thanks Bets. I'll think it over."

Pyro leans over next.

"How are you This? I mean it's not every day…well…how are you?"

"I don't know John. I don't know. And my name is Thistle, **not** This."

"Okay Aca! Okay!"

"Sorry. Look, I'd quite like to speak to Kurt."

He goes pale and my hypothesis is proved. They're all afraid of me. Kurt stands up and just looks at me.

"So speak."

Everyone is listening and I find I can't.

"Kurt, I…I'm sorry I disappointed you."

He just blinks.

"I know you thought I was better than that. But… Just the thought of him killing you… I couldn't stand that. I need you Kurt. We all need you. No matter how much you like to think you're worth nothing, you're the one that keeps us all together. We need you Kurt. Without you, we're nothing. **I'm **nothing."

He just looks at me and I wonder what he'd thinking. I can't read his eyes. He just offers out his hand.

"Take it."

I reach out and start to shake but he teleports us away. I blink then realise that we're standing under Milly.

"You… You…"

"Don't yell at me Aca. I… I didn't want to ask you when everyone else was there."

"Ask me what?"

"Err…"

"Kurt, ask me what?"

He says something incredibly fast, so quick I don't catch the words.

"What?"

He blushes purple and traces a circle in the dirt with a foot.

"There's a dance next month. You know, sort of like a prom, and I was wondering… Would you like to go with me?"

I blink. My heart does a little back flip.

"I mean, as friends! I was going to ask Amanda but…"

My heart instantly crawls back into its kennel, tail between its legs.

"That is, if you can forgive me. I swear I didn't know the others were going to do that."

I blink. Going to a dance with Kurt? Great. As friends? Good, but not my ideal. Oh well. It's better than a poke in the eye with a blunt stick. I open my mouth.

"I'll think about it."

* * *

><p><strong><em>A.N.<em>**_ Only two more chapters to go!_ _Thanks for staying through this long-winded story. To think it started out as a one-shot!_


	54. Chapter 54

I sit in my room, perched on the end of my bed, having a last minute panic. Does this colour go with my hair? Does the dress make me look fat? Can I dance in these shoes? To be fair, Bets and Jubes, two of the most fashion conscious people I know, helped me choose my clothes. A long, pale green dress with dark green gloves and a vine pattern up one side. Kitty helped me sort my hair and I did hers in return. Once I'd done hers, Rogue, Bets and Jubes all begged me to do theirs as well and I complied. Bets is dressed in a deep purple, Kitty in yellow, Jubes in black, Rogue in green and Lorna in the purplish-pink I picked out for her. When I last asked, Warren was taking Bets, Bobby was taking Rogue, Pyro was taking Jubes and Kitty was taking Colossus. And Kurt is taking me. If he turns up that is.

I'm almost at the point where I want to lock myself in my bathroom and refuse to come out. I'm scared. Seriously. I, Acacia, who faced down a rampaging feral, am terrified of going to a dance with my best friend. I really need to get my priorities sorted out. I suppose it can't be any worse than walking in on Miss Munroe and Logan **kissing** in the classroom. And I mean full on tongues kissing, not a peck on the cheek. I instantly said 'Sorry', closed the door and stood guard to prevent anyone else being mentally scarred for life.

I shift uneasily and reach for the internal phone. All I have to do is call Kurt and say I have a headache and can't go. Too late. He's knocked on the door. I somehow manage to get across the room and open the door, assembling my features into a big grin.

"Hey Kurt!"

He looks…amazing. A pure white suit and tie, with a black shirt, strikingly different from his soft indigo fur. He blinks at me.

"You look…_wunderbar_!"

I blush. I grew flowers into my hair so it looks like my hair is held in its coiffure by a riot of deep purple flowers of the exact shade of the little berries on the vines. He offers me his arm.

"Shall we descend? Or make a dramatic entrance?"

"You choose."

He flashes me his cheeky grin and we're suddenly on the stairs to the main hall, filled with students, teachers and assistants alike. Everyone dressed to impress, everyone dancing, laughing and eating. I spot my brother, dancing with a girl I know vaguely by sight with scales instead of skin. Kitty's using her phasing power so she can sweep across the dance floor with Colossus, ignoring everyone else. Rogue's dancing with Bobby in the corner, her gloves over the sleeves and a high neck. She's not taking any chances tonight. Jubilee and Pyro have, by the looks of it, set up a fire-eating display. Kurt steers me down the stairs and I try to avoid the stares. I had to get a dress with a shoulder, to cover the scar but everyone knows who I am. And what I did.

Kurt ignores the stares and gives me a courtly bow.

"Shall we dance?"

"Kurt!"

And he somehow manages to monopolise me the whole evening, even when I spot others swapping dancing partners. I'm not complaining but people will talk.

"Look, I'm going to dance with my brother for a while. Is that okay?"

"Fine."

But when I'm dancing with James, who moans because I'm **still** taller than him, I spot Kurt watching me the whole time. And as soon as I've finished dancing, he sweeps me off again. Round and round the room, faster and faster, with his brilliant grin on the whole time. Then he drags me off to the refreshment area and insists on carrying both our drinks. We end up sitting on the terrace, sipping the Coke (alcohol is banned at school events) and laughing so much we get bubbles up our noses. Then Kurt bows again.

"Would you like to dance out here?"

"Why?"

"Well, there's more space."

"Fine. Just fine."

Somehow, despite there being more space, we end up dancing closer together. Kurt's just **looking** at me.

"What?"

"Pardon Aca?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

"You're…beautiful."

"Kurt!"

"It's true!"

"KURT!"

And then I realise we're no longer on the terrace. We're at the heart of the maze.

"Kurt…?"

"I really, really hope you'll forgive me for this Aca."

"Forgive you for wha-"

And his lips are suddenly pressed to mine, his tongue gently exploring my mouth. And I can't believe it! I actually can't believe it! He stops and blushes.

"You better hit me now."

"What?"

"You said, if I kissed you, you'd punch me."

"When?"

"Years ago."

"Kurt?"

"I've always liked you. Every since you rescued me. I thought you were so beautiful."

I put my hand to my mouth.

"Kurt…"

"And I understand if you think I'm being a creep and betraying your trust but I wanted once, just once, to be able to kiss you."

"Kurt…"

"And I understand if you want to never see me again because I did this without asking permission…"

"Kurt!"

"But on your first day at school when you said Bobby was nice, I was so jealous I wanted to punch him."

"Kurt!"

"And I spent ages trying to pluck up the courage to kiss you and I had it all planned out for your birthday but we all know how that went-"

"KURT!"

"What?"

"Just shut up and kiss me again."


	55. Chapter 55

I stand alone by the edge of the lake. Today we were dealing with a forest fire. According to the authorities there were only eight fatalities. Easy them to say. I died over three hundred times today, burning, falling to the ground. I know I shouldn't have gone, but I'm an X-Man and the X-Men save lives. And die in the process.

Then hands slip around my waist and a head rests on my shoulder.

"Thinking deep thoughts Aca?"

"No Kurt. Just trying to find a reason to live again."

He holds me closer and I turn to see his sad face, where he looks so like a kicked puppy. Then I allow the tears to come and let the pain drift away. Odd isn't it. It's taken me ten years since I first ran away, a girl and her microscope, and only now can I let all the grief out. Maybe all I needed was someone to love me. I'm not just crying for the trees, I'm crying for Robinia, the innocent girl with big dreams. I'm crying for Strobe and all those I couldn't save. I'm crying for the nameless woman who preferred to die rather than kill a man. I'm crying for the wasted years of my life, on the streets and as a tree. I'm crying for Ellie, who is now a beautiful teenager and whose life I would have ruined. I'm crying for Kurt who insists on staying with me. I'm crying because I couldn't when I thought Kurt's father had killed him. I'm crying for my family who believed their daughter dead. I'm finally crying properly, not just producing tears.

Then I stop crying and Kurt tilts my head back.

"_Akazie_, I'm here."

I smile at his pet name for me. He's always known how to do that, how to make me smile when I'm down. Loyal, funny, handsome Kurt, with his elf ears, blue fur, demon tail and odd hands. How can someone be so important to me? Then I feel his fingers brush away my tears and a kiss planted to my forehead.

"I feel like a little kid when you do that."

He smiles, fangs sparkling in the dying sunlight.

"Well I'll have to make you feel like an adult, shan't I?"

Our mouths meet and then we've teleported to a spot I know very well. The centre of the maze where, six years ago, he stole a kiss from me. Since then we've been through a lot. We've saved each other's lives countless times, been into space. Prepared to die. We've kissed and gone on dates, but there's always been the knotted scar on my shoulder that stands between us, Ring's legacy acting as a wedge. I suppose I'm lucky it wasn't more than a bite. Then I gasp as Kurt kisses me again, only this time there's something different, I can feel it in the air. Then when we break apart I see the nervousness in Kurt's eyes.

"_Akazie_, you know I love you?"

I blink. I wasn't expecting this. What's going on? Then when Kurt starts fumbling in his pocket I get a vague idea. I don't know whether to run or to stay. He's kneeling, he is **actually **kneeling! I don't actually hear the words, simply let my disbelief run away with me. Then he finishes and I don't know what to say, whether to say yes or to run. My mouth half opens and I'm about to say 'No' for so many reasons but the message must get scrambled on the way down because what comes out is,

"Yes! Oh, yes! Oh, **yes**,** yes**,** YES**!"

Then I'm in an embrace and I'm so, **so **glad I said that because this is perfect and I have a perfect moment. And I manage to forget all the blood lost and the plants burned. I can just be Aca, with the man she loves.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A.N. <strong>Well that's that._ _Finished. Blame Jeanniebird for this story! She was the one who persuaded me to expand on the first chapter. And in that time, Aca has completely taken over my brain. A sequel may follow, depending on what else I have on._


End file.
